Govt's incentives uplift women's socio-economic status in public sector

KUALA LUMPUR: The various government incentives being provided to civil servants, including women, has brought much relief and convenience to those serving in the public sector.
The provision of child care centres in the workplace has greatly benefited working mothers in managing and maintaining a balance between their career and family life.
"We can strike a balance between working and the task of managing the family. In the public sector, I can contribute to the community and, at the same time, manage our family," said Human Resources Ministry's Industrial Court (Management Services Division) assistant director Chew Shy Huoy.
Chew, 35, said the PPA1M (1Malaysia Housing Project for Civil Servants) unit in Precinct 17, Putrajaya that she had recently bought was among the government incentives for civil servants to own affordable and comfortable homes.
A diplomatic administrative officer of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM)'s Strategic Planning and Policy Division, B.Vijeyatharzhini, 27, said the ministry provided a flexible working arrangement scheme to improve the work quality of civil servants, especially among its women staff.
"It is still a pilot project in this ministry. In addition, if an employee has an important family-related matter, the employer is very understanding compared to the time when I was working in the private sector," she said.
She said employees are more focused as well as less stressed and hoped that the facility could be expanded to other ministries and government agencies.
At the 2018 Budget tabled in Oct, caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak announced that this year is the Year of Women Empowerment to increase the participation of women in nation building and competitiveness at the global stage.
Among the incentives announced by Najib for women was the extension of maternity leave from 60 days to 90 days besides a tax exemption to be given to women for the first 12 months after a lapse of two years from employment.
Meanwhile, KPWKM secretary-general Datuk Suriani Ahmad said, as a civil servant of 23 years, she was of the view that the incentives given by the government for women proved that the workforce was being highly appreciated.
She said the government not only targeted to increase the percentage of women in the job market, but also the implementation of various incentives to retain them in the workforce.
These efforts by the government would create more women at the decision making level in the public sector in line with the government's goal to increase the participation of women in the job market to 59% by 2020.
Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Association's PTD Women Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Roosme Hamzah said skills training and courses through various programmes implemented by the government for women could enhance their ability to produce quality work.
Roosme, who is also Dewan Rakyat secretary, said the incentives given to the group such as the flexibility to leave the workplace one hour early for pregnant women could create a happy family institution, thereby producing excellent employees. — Bernama