25-10-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) The Royal Selangor Club, one of Malaysia’s oldest and most prestigious social institutions, has taken a significant step towards gender inclusivity by abolishing a 139-year-old rule that prevented women from entering the Long Bar. This historic decision was reached during an extraordinary general meeting attended by approximately 200 club members earlier this month.
M. Jayakumar, the club’s president, revealed that there had been persistent appeals from both male and female members to discard the archaic colonial-era tradition that barred women from the Long Bar. Following the October meeting, an overwhelming majority of members supported the removal of this restriction, effectively granting women access to the hitherto exclusive Long Bar.
Jayakumar emphasized the timeliness of this move, highlighting that women now constitute the majority of the club’s membership, making up 53 percent of the total. This shift in demographics is indicative of Malaysia’s commitment to gender equality as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
He stated, “If we were to continue this colonial tradition, we would probably be isolated as the only club in Southeast Asia to practice this policy.” Jayakumar also expressed his personal commitment to gender equality, saying, “I have daughters too and expect to see them being treated as equals.”
The Royal Selangor Club is in the process of amending its constitution to formalize the inclusion of women in the Long Bar. Historically, women members were only allowed access to the Long Bar during special events and on New Year’s Day until 5pm when the premises would become off-limits again.
Jayakumar shed light on the origins of the “no women” rule, stating, “Nobody is really sure, but from what I gathered, the men during the colonial days played games such as rugby at the adjacent field, which is now Dataran Merdeka, and would later step into the Long Bar for a drink.” He further explained, “They were sweaty, unkempt, and often made a din, sharing dirty jokes after a few drinks … hence, they did not want to offend women folk and decided the place be off-limits to them.”
