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KOTA KINABALU: Women should not be marginalised as they have a role to play in the country’s governance, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

He said all players should be taken into account and he was committed to increasing the involvement of women in the decision-making process.

“I would like to see more women participating in policy-making. We need to take stock of their opinions and devise a plan.

We never realise there are things that women also want, but we take it for granted… therefore we need to listen to them,” Shafie said during the oath-taking ceremony of the Sabah Women’s Advisory Council (MPWS) members at the State Legislative Assembly, here, Wednesday. 

He said a woman’s role is important as they are generally more approachable within the community in light of their instinctively nurturing and warm nature.

Meanwhile, newly-appointed MPWS Chairperson, Datuk Noni Mohd Said, said she will revise the Council’s agenda at the start of the new term.

“We will hold a meeting where we will revise what we think needs to be done and see what is relevant as there are many issues that women experience today.

“I was formerly the second chairperson for MPWS in the year 1989, where the challenges faced by women back then were different from what is being experienced today,” she said.

Noni said MPWS will continue to fight for women’s equality, adding that there has been an improvement in governmental administrations today where men are more accepting of women in the workforce.

“I see that the men are more prepared to accept women and see them not as a woman but as another officer. This is one difference that I can see from the time I entered the civil service and now,” she said.

When asked what issues she would tackle during her term, Noni highlighted the need to tend to women’s socio-economics in rural areas as they are more prone to being marginalised compared to women in the urban, as well as to harness women NGOs in Sabah.

“I would like to work together with the NGOs since they are voluntary and they are very keen to assist and uplift the community”, she said.

Noni also hoped the Government would support MPWS by allocating more funds for the programmes they will organise for women in preparation for the 12th Malaysia plan.

“It is through these programmes that we are able to take care of women who are marginalised in society, so we need more funds,” she said.

Noni believed a woman’s development can only yield positive impact, stating that “a successful woman would bring up a successful family, successful families will contribute to a successful community, and a successful community will yield a successful country.”

Established in 1988, MPWS plays the role of a “think tank”, a consultative body to the State Government and a catalyst for women’s progress and development. 

Noni and seven others who took their oath were Puan Hajah Baiyah Ag. Mahmon (Vice Chairperson), Sabah Education Department Director Mistirine Radin, Datuk Suzanna Liaw, Datuk Eva Susau, Puan Egusra Ali, Eliza Goh and Prof Madya Dr Muhammad Idris Bullare @ Bahari.

Henry Shim Chee On also took his oath before Shafie as a newly-appointed political secretary.

State Youth and Sports Minister Phoong Jin Zhe was present.