KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — The government has been urged to formulate anti-discrimination laws so that any forms of oppression against Malaysians especially in the workplace over gender, race, religion and age is eradicated.
Senator Lim Hui Ying said despite the additional involvement of women at the highest decision making level, the country was still far from achieving its 30 per cent women participation at decision making level.
“After the 14th general election, we saw the highest participation of women since independence in Dewan Rakyat at 14.4 per cent as well as the Cabinet at 18 per cent. In the Senate, we have 19.4 per cent women senators.
“The government has to step up efforts in this aspect and it should start from the grassroots from the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) at the local government level, the state government and to the Parliament,” she was debating on the motion of thanks on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s address at the Senate today.
She said even though the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had created history by being the first woman to hold the post, the number of women in the Cabinet should not be the end goal itself, in fact it should be the basis to formulate a gender sensitive policy which is fairer to both men and women.
Lim who is also Penang DAP secretary, said the government should give appropriate attention to the participation of women in the labour market where women made up 50 per cent of the country’s population.
She said unfair manpower policies would only be to the detriment of the nation’s development.
Lim also called on the Select Committee on Rights and Gender Equality to play a serious role in fighting for the rights of women. — Bernama
