Calling one's wife ugly may soon be an offence in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, May 28 (ANI): Malaysian Parliament has been proposed to make certain amendments to the Domestic Violence Act 1994, which may make calling one's wife ugly an offence.

Women's Development Department director-general Datuk Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur has revealed that the amendments would include a clause on emotional violence against women, who are currently protected only against physical abuse.

She said that the aim of proposing the amendment was to safeguard women both physically and emotionally.

According to her, emotional violence is a form of abuse that scars women deeply and lowers their self-esteem, dignity and self-confidence.

"It could be a case when a husband tells his wife she is ugly or humiliates her until she feels emotionally pressured," The Star Online quoted her as telling reporters at the end of a seminar on how to curb violence against women at Wisma Wanita.

She also revealed that efforts were being made to bring the proposed amendments to Parliament.

Organised by the Sabah Women's Affairs Department, the seminar was closed by State Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun.

In her speech, she stressed the need for strengthening the law to protect emotional violence against women. (ANI)