I could be wrong about this, but...

State of mind: unamused
Current soundtrack: Kiken na Curve (doa)

...I don't consider this much of an apology.

For those who haven't been catching the local/Malaysian news, the source can be summed up quite succintly with this quote off TheStar.com.my:

On May 9, during a heated exchange in the Dewan Rakyat with Opposition MPs over the roof leak at Parliament House, Bung Mokhtar had said: “Mana ada bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor tiap-tiap bulan juga. (Where is the leak? The Batu Gajah MP also leaks every month.)”

And there you have it. Ten days, one demonstration one cabinet meeting later and several angry letters later, it has been decided that they needed to make these two troglodytes jokers fine outstanding gentlemen apologise. *stops gritting teeth* Their statements were nicely recorded here. I was quite satisfied with the fact that they'd FINALLY apologised...until I read stuff like this.

First up, Jasin's MP, Dato' Mohd. Said bin Yusof, famous for his close-one-eye philosophy some time back.

I regret very much that the May 9 incident in Parliament had been manipulated by certain quarters...

...Yuh-huh. No shit. We're all out there to challenge our MPs and chuck them into the longkang/drain ALL THE TIME. (Whatever for? Some of them do it pretty well without any help. ¬_¬)

When the Opposition always raised matters that I regard as disrespectful and with the intention to insult and provoke me and other Barisan MPs, what is our choice?

If you think they're trying to get a rise out of you, should you be obliging them?

...if it offended the feelings of any parties and women, I put my hands together and offer my apology...

'I apologise if you feel offended' ≠ 'I apologise for my remarks'

...this issue has nothing to do with discrimination of women or MPs being insensitive to gender issues but is merely a ploy by the Opposition to belittle the Government's agenda.

Nothing at all? Nothing to do with jokes about menstruation? Nothing to do with the fact you actually decided that might be appropriate to joke about in Parliament? Nothing...ah, man, I'll come back to this later.

And now Dato' Bung Mokhtar, Kinabatangan MP. It appears he has been guilty of asshattery before, but this is the first time I've seen him stick his foot in his mouth. He rather seemed to be enjoying the taste of it.

...the May 9 incident should not have become a big issue but the DAP had taken it up, through the mass media, and they wished to drag all women's groups in the country into it.

I think they came in all on their own, having smelt the pungent odor of whattheheckamate from miles around.

...we humbly, I humbly and with full responsibility wish to apologise to
all the women in the country if they felt slighted by the words that we uttered.

See reaction to Mohd. Said's apology. *resists urge to use quotation marks*

So, I hope with this open apology DAP will no longer play up this issue. Stop
selling old newspapers. It is no longer laku (saleable).

Oh. Oh, WOW. I'm so choked up by the sincerity of your apology, Dato'! *One. Lone. TEAR.*

In the end, the duo don't seem to have realised that the controversy they stirred up was well, one they stirred up! 'Blame it on the opposition' seems to be a convenient excuse for anything. You're in trouble because you make a snide remark about menstruation? Blame the opposition! You're late for work? Blame the opposition! Radioactive cauliflower monsters are attacking the KL Twin Towers? BLAME THE OPPOSITION, DAMMIT!

I only have a few questions to put forward about this issue:

1. If the remark had been about hanging, exposed pipes, and directed to a man, would the reaction have been the same?
2. If the remark had been directed at a Malay MP, would the reaction have been the same?
3. If the remark had come from the opposition, would the reaction have been the same?
4. Why did it take ten days for these two to finally decide to apologise, and in a rather roundabout manner at that? (Note that any variation of the words 'I am sorry for my remarks' do not feature in the statements)

If Dato' Seri Sharizat has decided to accept this apology, well, I can't say anything. But I still feel distinctly disturbed by the fact that these MPs exist. That these PEOPLE exist, in fact. We aren't Taiwan - we're Malaysia, and really, it's a shame that I have to admit we voted these individuals into their current position. 'Tis people like this that will keep eating at the BN majority at every (by-)election.