KUALA LUMPUR: The Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Women, Children and Community Development has proposed a Gender Parity in Political Representation Bill to require political parties to field at least 30 per cent women candidates in general and state elections.
Its chairman, Yeo Bee Yin, said the move was aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of women in politics, which remains below the 30 per cent target.
The proposal includes the enactment of a Gender Parity in Political Representation Act, the establishment of a Gender Parity Committee, the use of existing Election Commission (EC) structures and an incentive-based funding mechanism to encourage the nomination and election of women candidates.
"The committee recommends that the EC require political parties to submit annual reports on the gender composition of their membership and leadership at various levels.
"The committee also recommends that the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, in collaboration with the Legal Affairs Division and the Registrar of Societies (RoS), conduct consultations with political party leaders, party women's wings, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and elected representatives to ensure the implementation of the minimum 30 per cent target for women's representation,” she said.
Yeo's presentation text, titled ‘Gender Equality in Malaysian Politics Towards the 30 Per Cent Target for Women's Participation in Malaysia’, was read by Kangar MP Zakri Hassan, who is also a member of the committee.
According to Yeo, the committee also recommended that the Legal Affairs Division and the Finance Ministry develop an incentive-based political financing mechanism to increase the nomination and election of women candidates.
The proposal includes election campaign funding incentives through one-off post-election allocations based on the number of eligible women candidates and votes obtained, as well as annual incentives for women elected as Members of Parliament or state assemblymen.
The committee also proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution and the strengthening of the National Women's Policy to incorporate a minimum target of 30 per cent women in decision-making positions at all levels of government, in line with Malaysia's commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
It stressed that the 30 per cent target should not be limited to elections alone, as both the Federal and state governments have immediate opportunities to implement the target through appointments to decision-making positions.
"This includes appointments to the Senate, the Cabinet, the top management of the public service, local authority councils, state and district leadership positions, as well as grassroots development committees,” she said.
The statement was debated by eight MPs, the majority of whom supported the proposal for new legislation on gender equality and increasing women's representation in politics, the public service and the corporate sector.
They argued that the biggest barrier to women's participation and representation was not a lack of talent, qualifications or capability, but unequal access within political and institutional structures.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting resumes on Tuesday (June 23). – Bernama
