Increase number of women elected reps to 30%: Women Members of Parliament

KUALA LUMPUR: Women Members of Parliament today called for the number of women in decision-making posts including elected representatives be increased to 30%, in line with the government's efforts to empower the group.
Datuk Norah Abd Rahman (BN-Tanjong Manis) said the move was in line with the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak that 2018 would be Women Empowerment Year, with at least 30% women board members in government-linked companies and government-linked investment companies as well as statutory bodies before the end of that year.
She said other than board membership, the 30% target must also be applied to Parliament, which currently has only 10.81% women parliamentarians.
"This pales in comparison with the parliaments in other countries in South-east Asia, where Timor Leste has 38.5% women parliamentarians, Laos (25%), Vietnam (24.4%), Singapore (24.2%) and Philippines (22.9%). So I urge that women be given special consideration in the coming general election," she said when debating the Supply Bill 2018 at the policy level in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Earlier, the matter was also brought up by Datuk Normala Abdul Samad (BN-Pasir Gudang) who proposed that the same percentage be set for the people's representatives in State Assemblies.
"The target set by the government to have 30% women participation in top management in the public sector has already been achieved, so perhaps it could also be achieved at the Parliament and State Assembly levels," she said.
In line with the women empowerment year next year, Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid (BN-Kuala Kangsar) also proposed that local authorities provide a special quota for trading sites for women to give them the opportunity to improve their socio-economic status.
The Dewan will sit again tomorrow. — Bernama