30% quota for women in Dewan Negara

> Strong mandate in next general election will allow govt to initiate move, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will propose a 30% quota for women in the Dewan Negara if it retains power in the next general election, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.

He said this could be done if Barisan Nasional receives “the necessary majority”, adding that it has always been a challenge for the government to decide on election candidates to ensure women are not sidelined.

“I would like to see this proposal go through. That is why I hope we get a strong mandate in this election,” he said at the Women in Politics Kuala Lumpur event at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

In 2015, the government launched the Malaysian chapter of the “30% Club” to help the country achieve its target of increasing women participation on the boards of public companies.

Najib said allowing a bigger representation of women in the Senate would allow the group to exhibit their leadership skills.

He also said the government would like to see more women participating in politics as their presence would better reflect the electorate and make the political process more inclusive.

“Umno itself has long relied on its women’s wing for maintaining grassroots relationships, particularly in rural areas.”

He added women would make up the majority of the civil service, at 57.5%, if the police and military forces are excluded.

“We are heading in the right direction. But we want to go further, especially at the higher levels.”

Najib said since he became prime minister in 2009, the female labour force participation rate has increased from 46% to 54.3% last year, an increase of more than 700,000 women in the workforce.

At the same event, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Barisan Nasional is on the right track to put more women in politics.

“The government has constantly pushed for more women to be our candidates in the elections. The same goes for the coming general election, which is very near.

“There will surely be more women candidates representing BN in the upcoming polls, (compared to) the previous one. I am a true believer of what women can do,” said Ahmad Zahid, who is also Umno vice-president.

He expressed hope BN would give Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil an important position should the coalition win in the coming polls.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who was also present, said political parties need to enhance the role of women in politics by fielding more of them as election candidates.

He said the target to increase women participation in politics could only be done if political parties initiated change.