Policy must reflect in directorships: MPWS

Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Women's Advisory Council (MPWS) hailed the Government's assurance that it remains committed to its policy of achieving at least 30pc participation of women in decision-making positions in the public and private sectors. Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak gave the assurance when tabling the National Budget 2016 on October 23.

Chairperson of MPWS, Datuk Mariati Robert said it was re-assuring to hear from the PM himself that the Government would continue to monitor the achievement of this policy, which includes membership of women in the Board of Directors (BOD) of corporate bodies.

In retrospect, she said, in 2011, the Government approved a policy that women must comprise at least 30pc of those in decision-making positions in the corporate sector.

"We all know that companies were given five years to meet the requirement. This means that by 2016, women must comprise 30pc of corporate decision-makers and senior executive positions," she said.

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Mariati, who is also the State Attorney-General, noted that the PM had stressed in his speech at the National Women's Day celebration this year that public-listed companies (PLCs) must include the aspect of compliance with the 30pc women's participation in their Annual Financial Statement or face penalisation.

In other words, PLCs are required to disclose in their annual reports the component of boardroom composition from the gender perspective.

"I believe the State Cabinet has decided to follow suit in practising this principle of corporate governance to ensure gender diversity in the boardrooms," she said.

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Earlier, according to Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun, women's participation in the Federal Civil Service in the Peninsula has exceeded the 30pc target for women in decision-making roles in the public sector.

However, it is not known how many of the 800 Malaysian women (including those from Sabah), who have attended the Women Directors Programme (WDP) in recent years, have been appointed to boardroom positions in government-linked companies (GLCs).

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