KUCHING: The Federal Minister and Deputy Minister for Women and Family ought to create a better environment for women to remain in the workforce.
Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Women chief Datuk Chiew Yen Chew stated that the nation had been assured all the time by the past governments, be it the Pakatan Harapan (PH) or Barisan Nasional (BN), of commitment to ensure women empowerment.
“They were committed to ensuring women are given equal opportunities in terms of socioeconomics and politics.
“But in politics, women are still under-represented in the political arena…more so under the current federal government,” she said.
She believed that the past Women and Family ministers, especially under the BN government, had made big efforts in pushing the policy of 30 per cent women participation in politics.
“In terms of socioeconomic, I believe the present Federal Women and Family Minister ought to create a better and enabling environment for women to remain in the workforce.
“We also look forward to seeing what the new ministry can do to improve the existing laws and introduce new legislation on gender equality and sexual harassment for better protection of women and children,” she continued.
She told this to New Sarawak Tribune yesterday when asked to comment on the public’s concern over Datuk Seri Rina Harun and Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff heading the ministry.
On the posts, she said the public should give the new leaders some time to improve the provisions of existing legislation.
“This will ensure that efforts to contain specific law to address any protection for women like sexual harassment can be more effective,” she added.
