Let us look beyond Mothers Day

Photo: 123rf

MOTHERS Day, celebrated on the second Sunday of May, has come and gone. The flowers have been delivered, dinners enjoyed and social media flooded with messages of love and gratitude. But when the celebration ends and daily life resumes, what truly remains?

I was raised by a woman whose strength was most visible through what she carried in silence. My mother served full-time in the police force while raising six children.

Her work demanded long, irregular hours, and kept her physically away more often than not. But she was never truly gone.

Even when duty called, she made sure we were fed, safe and cared for. She arranged for people she trusted to watch over us. She carried the weight of responsibility not with complaint, but with quiet determination.

Her story is not unique. It echoes the lives of countless Malaysian mothers, especially those in essential services, the informal sector and rural communities. These women are the backbone of our families and society. Yet too often, their labour, both paid and unpaid, remains under-recognised.

Many mothers in Malaysia wake before dawn, work long hours in offices, factories, markets, or homes, and still shoulder the emotional and physical load of nurturing their families. They navigate hardship, juggle responsibilities and pour themselves into their roles without asking for applause.

Society rarely stops to ask whether we do enough to support them.

Many mothers still have to choose between advancing their careers and caring for their children. Access to affordable, quality childcare remains uneven, especially outside urban centres. Single mothers often find themselves navi-gating a system that is more punitive than protective. And those working in the informal sector frequently lack maternity protections or social safety nets.

Policywise, there have been steps forward, such as the extension of paid maternity leave to 98 days, and pilot initiatives for childcare subsidies. Flexible work arrangements and workplace protections have also been introduced in varying degrees.

But these efforts are often fragmented, inconsistent and insufficient to meet the real demands faced by mothers across different socioeconomic backgrounds.

We must continue to push for better access to affordable childcare, flexible work arrangements and compre-hensive parental leave that includes fathers.

We need community support systems that step in when mothers are stretched thin, and workplace cultures that stop seeing motherhood as a barrier to leadership.

Culturally, we must challenge the deep-rooted narrative, shaped by tradition, media and even well-meaning ideals, that mothers must always be self-sacrificing, tireless and endlessly giving.

Yes, they are strong. But they are also human. They feel exhaustion, they fall ill and they carry unspoken worries. They should not have to be heroic to be seen as worthy.

What if, beyond celebrating mothers once a year, we began to treat motherhood as a public good? Something deserving not just of flowers and affection but sustained investment, long-term recognition and real protection. Because when mothers are supported, families are stronger. When families are stronger, society is more stable.

Let this recent Mothers Day be more than just a date on the calendar. Let it serve as a reminder of what should persist long after the gifts are opened and the posts are archived: a culture of respect and policies of care.

Because mothers deserve more than one day of celebration. They deserve a lifetime of recognition – recognition that goes beyond kind words and symbolic gestures. Recognition that is rooted in real support, fair policies, and cultural values that honour their contributions.

After the flowers fade, what should remain is not silence but our collective commitment to honour mothers in the choices we make, in the systems we build, and in the legacy we leave behind.

Because when we uplift mothers, not just with words but with action, we uplift families, communities and generations to come.

LIWANI CHE LONG

Strategic communications executive

Institut Masa Depan Malaysia (Masa)

Institut Masa Depan Malaysia is an independent think tank that brings together experts in government and academia to provide research, policy recommendations and analysis of public policy issues.