KOTA KINABALU, Oct 9 — The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government has failed to appoint even a single female full minister in its Cabinet.
Two elected assemblywomen Datuk Julita Mojungki (Matunggong) and Flovia Ng (Tulid) were appointed as assistant ministers.
Both of them were placed under the same portfolio, Ministry of Community Development and People’s Well-being.
Former political secretary to Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Masidi Manjun — Datuk Amisah Yassin was announced as appointed assemblywoman.
Amisah was absent at the swearing-in ceremony at Istana Negeri, yesterday.
Julita, who is a two-term assemblywoman for Matunggong was the political secretary to the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister from 2008 to 2012.
She was also the political secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister Department from 2004 to 2008.
In politics, Julita is Matunggong PBS divisional chief since 2018 to present, and also a PBS committee member.
Flovia, who recently won the Tulid state seat under STAR ticket is Sook’s women divisional chief.
Meanwhile, Sabah Women’s Action Resource Group (Sawo) and Rakyat Is Bos urged Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor to appoint the six women “best losers” in the recent Sabah State Election as the nominated members of the Legislative Assembly of Sabah (DUN).
"The results of the 16th Sabah State Election revealed that only seven women candidates won in their respective constituency and that makes up less than 10 per cent of the assemblypersons (ADUNs) to be women.
"This percentage is a far cry from reaching at least 30 per cent women participation in decision-making positions as targeted by the Malaysian government in the Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010.
“There was not even a single woman appointed in the first round of ministerial selection, let alone a woman deputy chief minister,” they said in a statement yesterday.
Sawo and Rakyat Is Bos stressed that gender inclusion is an integral part of Sabah’s identity as a liberal and inclusive society.
“Sadly, all major coalitions and parties, Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN), PBS and Warisan Plus had failed to uphold Sabah’s liberal nature by nominating at least 30 per cent of women candidates.
“As a progressive democratic state, they said the DUN should comprise people from the marginalised groups to ensure inclusivity in policy and legislative decisions that will affect the lives of all Sabahans.
After the nomination which saw only 43 women out of 447 candidates, Sawo and Rakyat Is Bos had made a widely-reported and well-received suggestion on September 19 for all the six nominated seats to be filled with women if less than 18 women are elected as assemblypersons to close the gap from the international benchmark of 30 per cent.
Sawo and Rakyat is Bos called upon PN, BN, PBS and Warisan Plus to make it a Sabah cross-party consensus that nominated Seats would be reserved for the best women candidates who lost if women percentage in the DUN falls below 30 per cent.
They said all six of the best women candidates who lost are influential women who won more than 30 per cent of the total valid votes cast.
“Appointing them is also empowering voters who trusted these women candidates to represent them and the issues of their community,” they said.
Percentage of votes for the best women candidates who lost in their respective constituencies are as follows:
N.70 Kukusan — Chaya binti Sulaiman 42.38;
N.52 Sungai Sibuga — Armani binti Mahiruddin 41.95;
N.53 Sekong — Hazulizah Mohd Dani 40.24;
N.67 Balung — Andi Rus Diana bt Andi Paladjareng 37.19;
N.04 Tanjung Kapor — Norlizah binti Gurahman 36.85;
N.48 Sugut — Norsabrina binti Japar 35.52.
Sawo and Rakyat Is Bos also rejected the nomination of individuals who did not contest in the election.
“As a democratic state, we are repulsed by the nomination of people who are given the seat as a token instead of their true contribution to society especially individuals from parties that did not even run in the election,” they said. — Borneo Post Online
