Tawau MP hopes better women's empowerment with 2022 Budget

 By Olivia Miwil - October 30, 2021 @ 4:48pm

Tawau member of parliament Datuk Christina Liew said socio-economic benefits derived from the National 2022 Budget should also filter down to Sabah. - NSTP file pic

KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government must honour its promise of a mandatory gender quota for corporate boardroom positions and other 'goodies' for women and girls.

Tawau member of parliament Datuk Christina Liew said socio-economic benefits derived from the National 2022 Budget should also filter down to Sabah.

"We are lagging many other countries, especially in Europe, which have long established gender diversity in corporate boardrooms.

"For more than a decade, there has been much talk in Malaysia about increasing women's representation in boardrooms, but to no avail. I am glad this time it is a legislated gender quota to ensure companies comply with the requirement.

"I know that many Sabahan women qualify to be appointed (as) boardroom directors but have not been given the chance even after they have completed training under the Women Directors' Programme," she said in a statement.

Liew, however, said it was not clear what penalties would be imposed on companies failing to appoint women to sit on their board.

Yesterday, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz had announced that it will be compulsory for all major companies to have at least one female director on their board by September 2022, and for all other listed companies by January 2023.

According to him, from the top 100 listed companies, only 25 percent of their board of directors comprise women, and that there are still 252 companies under Bursa Malaysia that are still devoid of women representation.

Meanwhile, Liew, who is also Api Api Assemblywoman, urged women who have been jobless for over one year, single mothers and housewives to take advantage of the job guarantee initiative in Budget 2022 as revealed by the Finance Minister.

She said the Government's announcement of the initiative known as 'Jamin Kerja Keluarga Malaysia' with an RM4.8 billion allocation whereby 600,000 new job opportunities will be created was well received, given the high rate of unemployment in Sabah.

Liew also welcomed the allocation of RM13 million to beef up the police unit investigating sexual crimes against women and children, saying it showed the government's concern for violence against women in the country.

"We look forward to Sabah getting a share of the 100 more police officers assigned to handle sexual crimes against women and children."

Liew also hailed the allocation of RM11 million as subsidy for mammogram tests for high-risk women, and for conducting cervical cancer screenings for women.

On the government's aim to provide hygiene kits for B40 girls, she hoped Sabah girls from B40 households would not be left out in line with the concept of "Malaysian Family".

It was pointed out that about 130,000 young women from B40 families in Malaysia do not have access to hygiene products such as sanitary towels because of financial constraints.