KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president, Zuraida Kamaruddin has called for a quota of 30 per cent of the electoral seats be allocated to women candidates.
Zuraida, who is also Housing and Local Government Minister, said the quota was part of the electoral reform proposed by Wanita PKR.
“Wanita PKR’s agenda includes championing electoral reform such as considering the proportional representation system where at least 30 per cent of seats to be contested in the general election be allocated to women candidates.
“I have asked Haniza (Wanita PKR chief, Haniza Mohd Talha) to champion it this term. I hope the proposal will be brought up to the fore and to the Election Commission towards electoral reform,” she told reporters after closing the Central Zone Wanita PKR Convention, here, today.
Zuraida said since Pakatan Harapan won in the 14th General Election on May 9 last year, women parliamentarians made up 13 per cent of the total compared to 10 per cent under the previous government.
Earlier, Haniza said Wanita PKR would also propose non-constituency seats to enable women to be appointed parliamentarians without going through the general election.
She said with more women parliamentarians, the target of 30 per cent women’s participation at the decision-making level in politics could be achieved. — Bernama
