We need more women in politics

Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz (right) presenting the late Tan Sri Aishah Ghani with a necklace thanking her for the long service as the wing's permanent chairman. Looking on is Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (left). - Filepic

Legally, there is nothing in the Federal Constitution that restricts the gender of the Prime Minister. In fact, Article 8 of the Federal Constitution guarantees equality and non-discrimination.

Compared to some other countries, the status of women in our country is arguably better. Women have reasonable access to education, for example. They are given opportunities in employment, although not as many or as favourable as men. We do not have the same degree of sexual discrimination as places such as Saudi Arabia, for example. The women of Malaysia, unlike in India, do not face the same 'subculture of oppression' (as described by a committee set up by the government of India to investigate sexual violence in the country), at least not to the same magnitude.