KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal to secure 30% female representation in politics requires the agreement of all political party presidents before it can be pursued through the Federal Government, says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The Women, Family and Community Development Minister said she had written to the government on the matter but noted that it could not be decided by the Prime Minister alone as it involved all political parties.
“I have written a letter to the government. However, because this involves politics, it cannot be answered by the Prime Minister alone as it involves the political parties in our country.
“Therefore, it depends on the presidents of the political parties. At this time, the matter has not yet involved the party presidents,” she told reporters after the ministry’s Budget 2027 engagement session yesterday.
Nancy said she would raise the matter again with the Prime Minister to explore ways for the proposal to be discussed with party leaders.
“You cannot ask for the budget yet because it must first be agreed upon by all the party presidents.
“If the party presidents do not want 30% women’s participation in politics, then what are the other attractive ways to engage women? There are ways,” she said.
She said the Federal Government could not impose a 30% quota on political parties but should explore creative approaches to encourage greater participation by women.
“For example, we have our Perantis programme (Program Perantisan Kepimpinan Wanita) to encourage women’s involvement in politics.”
On the ministry’s Budget 2027 priorities, Nancy said strengthening welfare services, caregiver training and support for women would be among its key focus areas.
She said the Welfare Department, which provides assistance to more than two million recipients, remained a major priority.
In January, Deputy Minister Lim Hui Ying told the Dewan Rakyat that RM3.1bil had been allocated through the department this year for financial welfare assistance, up from RM2.9bil last year.
Nancy said the ministry also planned to intensify caregiver training and develop professional trainers who could provide instruction to people of different age groups.
The ministry is also preparing legislation concerning senior citizens and the homeless, she added.
The minister said that the Budget 2027 engagement session, attended by about 100 NGOs and representatives, received more than 100 suggestions.
Nancy said the ministry would consider administrative solutions for organisations whose requests did not fall directly under its grant mechanisms, but stressed that no commitments could be made until the proposals were considered by the government.
