PRESS STATEMENT FOR RELEASE

18 JULY 2014

NOT ONLY DOES PENANG WELCOME WOMEN LEADERS, WE ALSO ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO TAKE CHARGE

Benazir Bhutto, Khaleda Zia, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Tansu Ciller, and Sheikh Hasina Wazed. These five people, in spite of being both women and Muslim, were elected as the heads of states of their respective countries.

In light of the recent remarks by Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun that women, on the grounds of menstruation, are not suitable to hold the post of Selangor Menteri Besar, we do seem to be years, if not decades, behind nations such as Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have had women Prime Ministers.

It is remarkable to think that a person, especially one that is as highly educated and holding such an important position as Mohd Hafarizam, holds on to such antiquated notions of gender. While there might be some restrictions on the basis of religion that could exclude a woman leader from participating in particular state ceremonies, it is but a miniscule part of what a Menteri Besar does.

To view this in contrast with what we are doing in Penang, we are leading with the empowerment of women and the grooming of women leaders – for both the public and corporate worlds.

In 2011, the Penang State Government saw the need to cultivate and promote gender and social equality in all walks of life. This saw the establishment of Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC), a state agency in which an integral aspect of its work to increase women’s representation in leadership.

The importance of including women in social development and national building is something that we are very well aware of, and this is why PWDC has formulated a leadership workshop series under its Women’s Empowerment and Leadership programme called Lean IN @ Penang.

Through the Lean IN @ Penang workshops, the participants, who comprise of some of the women leaders in Penang’s corporate sector, are educated on gender perspectives in hopes of instilling gender sensitivity. Key topics covered in the workshops include identifying barriers against women’s advancement at the workplace and how to address these issues.

To date, we have reached out to close to 100 women from Penang, and in the process have equipped these leaders with gender sensitive awareness and knowledge. Through this, they can not only act on gender discrimination within their corporations, but also in the public arena.

It is the hope of the Penang State Government for more women to take charge and become leaders; for more women representatives in politics, in the state assemblies, Parliament and in the municipal councils, as well as having women Menteri Besar and Prime Ministers. And perhaps, one day, women in Malaysia will never have to face prejudiced remarks like that made by Mohd Hafarizam and his like.

CHONG ENG

Penang State EXCO for Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development

Chairperson of Penang Women’s Development Corporation