A friend texted me, asking, “How about MCA suggesting to legalize guns to shoot violent husbands?”

He was referring to the proposal by Wanita MCA to hold karate classes as a way to discourage domestic violence.

My friend was joking as well as being sarcastic, obviously.

My response was by asking why karate? It’s not Chinese. A Chinese association like MCA should instead suggest kung fu, or wushu.

I said that also in jest. And both of us enjoyed some light banter.

Domestic violence is no joke and no laughing matter. We were not laughing at the issue. We were instead joking albeit sarcasm on the Wanita MCA proposal.

I’m sorry. To me that proposal is a bit off. I know they meant well.

Wanita MCA president Heng Seai Kie said as women and children are often taken advantage of by criminals, it is important for them to know how to defend themselves.

Hence, her wing will organize an online karate course aimed at empowering women, discouraging domestic abuse and preventing crime.

She was speaking at the MCA annual general meeting last week, but the proposal is still being talked about – mostly negatively.

That’s why I am writing about this now.

Women’s groups and politicians are not keen on the proposal – noting the difference between learning martial arts and defending oneself in a violent household.

Some of them “admit” that women should have a bit of knowledge of self defense, but say solving the issue of domestic violence requires efforts beyond that. And they went on to give details which I will not repeat here. You can always Google for it!

Which brings me to a movie, a thriller released in 2002 directed by Michael Apted. It’s called “Enough“.

The movie is based on the 1998 novel “Black and Blue” by Anna Quindlen which was a New York Times bestseller. The movie stars Jennifer Lopez as Slim, the main character.

Slim is an abused wife who learns to fight back. After frequent abuse by her husband and constantly living in fear, Slim cannot take it any more and decides she has had enough. Hence the title of the movie. She goes to learn martial art and uses it effectively against her violent husband.

The final scene has Slim beating her husband Mitch unconscious. But the man somehow manages to get up to attack her again. Slim eventually knocks Mitch off the balcony to his death. The police regard her action as self defense. A happy end to the story.

I think many of you must have watched it. Wanita MCA head Heng must have watched it too.

Well, if she didn’t, her narrative certainly sounded similar to the movie storyline.

Listen to what she said at the MCA meeting as quoted by Malaysiakini. “I hope you will all participate (in the karate classes) with enthusiasm. After all, a good wife does not have to hold on to the virtue of not fighting back.

“If necessary, fight back with full force to deter the perpetrator and help rein him from the precipice and enable him to reform.”

Apparently Heng herself has martial training.

However, according to Malaysiakini, Heng also joked that women should not injure their husbands with their martial art skills or risk damaging their relationships.

“A wife may have fought (the husband) during the day time or evening, but at night, when they turn in to the bedroom, there usually is a happy ending,” Heng was quoted to have said.

I can’t help but ask, just what exactly is the message to abused wives? Is the karate proposal for real? Or is it to be taken lightheartedly?

By the way, the movie “Enough” garnered generally negative reviews from film critics despite having the stunning Lopez in the lead role.

Enough said.

(Mohsin Abdullah is a veteran journalist and now a freelancer who writes about this, that and everything else.)