7-DAY PATERNITY LEAVE TO BE PROPOSED

Kula hopes it will be made compulsory in private sector

THE Human Resources Ministry hopes to propose the implementation of a seven-day paternity leave for the private sector to the cabinet soon.

Minister M. Kula Segaran said the ministry had completed discussions with stakeholders, including employers, nationwide on the matter and hoped to present the proposal by end of this month.

“We take note of this seriously and we share the sentiment brought up by the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) on the matter.

“The ministry has discussed this with stakeholders. It was not easy to get their approval on this.

“We know that it is important for parents to be with their child during the first few weeks after the baby is born.

“I hope to propose this to the cabinet soon. I also hope the cabinet will look into this seriously so that it will be a win-win situation for everyone,” he said at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Earlier, WAO handed over a petition to the ministry to call for seven days of paternity leave in the private sector.

The petition had garnered almost 40,000 signatures from the public.

Present at the petition handover were Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh and Lembah Pantai member of parliament Fahmi Fadzil.

Kula said the ministry hoped that it would be made compulsory for the private sector if the proposal was approved.

He added that the initial three days’ paternity leave in the private sector had yet to be approved by Parliament as a bill.

“Hence, the proposed seven days would take time to be approved by the cabinet as well.

Yeoh said her ministry supported the proposal and hoped the Human Resources Ministry would push it to the cabinet soon.

Fahmi supported the 7 days’ paternity leave proposal.

“I don’t think three days’ leave to be with your child is enough.

“You will not get the chance to send your child back home (from the hospital) or be with your wife during her confinement.”

WAO executive director Sumitra Visvanathan said it hoped the government would look into the proposal seriously and approve it.

“The three days proposed by the government is a positive step. But it’s not enough.

“Fathers in the private sector deserve at least seven days’ leave, similar to the paternity leave in the public sector,” she said.