Weeks after DAP’s Lim Kit Siang mooted the idea of a new political coalition, DAP Wanita has now vouched for the proposal.
DAP Wanita Secretary Teo Nie Ching says that the proposition made by the DAP Parliamentary leader, particularly the suggestion of four female MPs to take up the mantle of Prime Minister, is supported by DAP Wanita.
“DAP Wanita embraces the idea of a female PM for new Malaysia. And if a “Save Malaysia Coalition” is formed, the PM candidate must be gender-issue sensitive and vow to continue empowering women in Malaysia,” she said in a statement today.
On March 29, Lim had named de-facto Law Minister Nancy Shukri, Deputy Works Minister Rosnah Rashid Shirlin, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar as potential Prime Minister candidates from new coalition consisting of leaders from both sides of the political divide.
Teo said the proposal will, first of all, help change the stereotype that politics is not for women.
She said women often take a backseat in organizations due to this perception and are reluctant to take up the role of leaders in the country.
“Hopefully, with a female Prime Minister, it would boost confidence amongst Malaysian women to step out of the mould,” Teo added when contacted by The Rocket.
She said a female Prime Minister may mean more allocations and resources for the community.
“Allocation for women is only RM 800 million this year,” she said.
She also explained that Malaysia falls short of the global average of women MP’s, a stumbling block to realising the first woman Prime Minister.
“Currently there are 22 female heads of Government. Many of our neighbouring countries in Asia such as India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines, had been led by a female President or Prime Minister, however chances for Malaysia to have our first female PM is slim as only 10% MPs are female while the global average is 22.1%,” Teo said.
The DAP had recently adopted a 30 percent quota in its Central Executive Committee (CEC), its highest leadership committee, that would see an increase in women members from its current three to a minimum of nine women as a result. It was a move by the party to increase the participation of women in politics that would in turn result in increasing the number of women leaders in Parliament and the state.
-The Rocket
