Wanita MCA Sec Gen: Support must be given for the 30% quota of female representation in companies.

28 June 2011

Press Statement by Wanita MCA Secretary-General Senator Chew Lee Giok on the 30% gender equality policy

Wanita MCA Sec Gen: Support must be given for the 30% quota of female representation in companies.

Everyone should support the decision made by the Cabinet on the advice of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development that listed companies must meet the requirement of 30% representation of women at the highest decision-making levels within 5 years as it ensures the improvement of womens rights, the security of women as well as gender equality.

This decision is the outcome of the efforts by womens organisations and groups over the years, as well as the BN governments announcement in 2004 that the public service must have a 30% representation of women as policy decision makers. This latest announcement by the government is meant to improve and protect the status of women as well as to build and achieve gender equality.

Women cannot only depend on their efforts to improve, but they also need the support of policies to help them accomplish more.

Women today play an important role in the field of politics and economy, but in a certain number of areas such as listed companies, public financial institutions, government-linked companies and statutory bodies, women still are considered disadvantaged. The government as well as the opposition parties must work to develop a comprehensive system to review situations where women still face unequal treatment.
I also call on all women to move with the times and to constantly learn and to push themselves to be ahead and to enrich themselves so! as to m eet the challenges ahead.

Out of our countrys population of 27 million people, nearly half of these are women, so women should play important roles in all fields.

We the womenfolk are keen to promote the governments concept and to play an important role in the country, including the governments Economic Transformation Porgramme and the Government Transformation Programme.

Many countries have female Presidents and Prime Ministers who have led their womenfolk to become national, political and business leaders. In a democratic country the performance and ability of a person must be viewed in order to asses a persons capabilities and not through gender alone.

Senator Chew Lee Giok
Wanita MCA Secretary General

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