KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s People’s Justice Party (PKR) yesterday jumped to the defence of Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, the country’s SEA Games gymnastics gold medallist who has been criticised for showing the “shape of her vagina” with the competition outfit she wore at this year’s biennial meet in Singapore.

According to the Malaysian Insider, PKR central committee member Latheefa Koya chided the country’s Minister for Islamic Affairs Jamil Khir Baharom for his proposal on Monday that the federal government would review the attire worn by Malaysia’s Muslim athletes.

The Malay Mail said Jamil’s sentiment was also echoed by Roszida Kamaruddin, head of the female wing of the National Muslim Youth Association, who said that guidelines were needed to enable female Muslim athletes to stay Syariah law-compliant during competitions.

“Women should not be stopped from sports, but they must prioritise the Islamic codes in sports attire,” Roszida said. “Furthermore, there are many Muslim female athletes who succeed even by covering their aurat.”

Latheefa said that such support of the country’s zealots was “dangerous and narrow”.

“Instead of defending a woman athlete who brought fame and glory to this country, a government minister yesterday supported in Parliament the call of those who criticised her attire,” Latheefa said in a statement yesterday.

“Why is there no such suggestion on cover up of aurat for minister’s spouses? Why pick on our dynamic young athletes? In any case, aurat is not a clear-cut issue under Islam. It has been interpreted differently by different imams, taking into account the idea of what is decent in different communities.”

Latheefa also pointed out that the government faces more serious issues that should be dealt with, such as corruption and deaths in custody.

The incident began on June 12 when a photo of Farah clad in her gymnastics leotard — seen on a Buletin TV3’s Facebook post — sparked a debate regarding the responsibilities that Muslim athletes have to cover their “aurat” (parts of the body that should not be publicly exposed).

The 21-year-old gymnast — who won gold in the women’s floor exercise and team events, a silver in the women’s individual events and three bronze medals — has since received an outpouring of support from fellow Malaysians, with some setting up a Facebook page named Farah Ann Abdul Hadi For Malaysia that has garnerned more than 15,000 likes.

Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed, were other high-profile figures to voice their support of the gymnast.

“In gymnastics, Farah wowed the judges and brought home gold. In her deeds only, the Almighty judges her. Not you. Leave our athletes alone,” said Khairy on Twitter.

Marina was evidently more unabashed in slamming the government. “No, I don’t think we’ll be a Taliban state yet; we’ll be a stupid state first,” Marina said last Saturday when asked if the public outrage indicates that Malaysia will become a Taliban state eventually.

Farah has shrugged off the criticisms and expressed gratitude for those coming to defend her, after first posting on social media: “Empty cans make the most noise.”

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