Minister in Malaysia: FGM gehört zu unserer Kultur

Seit längerem schon rechtfertigen Kleriker und auch Politiker in Südostasien Genitalverstümmelung (FGM) mit ihrer Religion. Nun also kommt auch noch die Kultur dazu:

Putrajaya has affirmed its stand that female circumcision is part of the Malaysian culture.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (pic) who is also the Women, Family and Community Develop-ment Minister (...) maintained that this was unlike the female genital mutilation (FGM) that was being done in Africa where some girls bled to death after they were cut or succumbed to infections.

"We are not the same as Africa," she said, adding that "if it doesn't give any benefit then we should do something".

Discussions were being held with the Health Ministry to look into the issue, she told reporters yesterday.

Dr Wan Azizah's remark came about following Wednesday's statement by National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) which criticised Malaysia's stand on this at a Human Rights Council's working group session in Geneva last week.