Sabah can lead in 30pc women quota: James Sarda
Published on: Monday, January 24, 2022
By: David Thien
Kota Kinabalu: The only way women can hope to achieve 30 per cent representation in decision-making roles across the board is to insist that this gender equality Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) be made a law, whether at Parliament or State level. “In fact, Sabah can be the trailblazer by introducing such legislation in the State Assembly so that all State agencies like GLCs, local authorities and departments adopt it for a start in appointments,” said Daily Express Chief Editor James Sarda, JP.ADVERTISEMENT
“Sabah political parties can also start the ball rolling by fielding 30pc women candidates in the next election. Many women are more qualified and our universities have greater female enrolment,” he said, adding this was how many African nations and countries like India and Bangladesh ended up with women holding top positions today.
James said at the outset, it might appear that the 30pc quota is unfair to males who may even think they are being forced to make way.
“One may not get enough right women in key positions the first time round but things will be different in the next and this is the only way to make it happen,” James recalled the woman Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament telling him when he posed the question to her at a Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
“The media cannot more than be a facilitator or enabler of the SDG goals,” he said, and that women empowerment is a case in point.ADVERTISEMENT
“We cannot do anything beyond making known the frustration of women that there are not enough women Ministers or given decision-making roles,” he said at a webinar on “Sustainable Development Goals Implementation among Indigenous People in Malaysia” recently.
Organised by JOAS, the forum was moderated by former Senator Adrian Lasimbang.
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James said the media cannot force or insist that governments implement this aspiration because the SDG goals are a wish list and not legally binding.
When told by a participant that Sabah had done more for women than other states as it has a Wisma Wanita and MPWS, James disagreed.
“It is good for women to have a Wisma Wanita to call their own but it is only a building. Women, especially the Orang Asal will want to know how it is supposed to benefit them in their everyday lives.”
As for the MPWS, he noted it had been allocated RM5.8 million by the State Government in the latest budget and it must justify how this huge sum will be spent on making a difference in the lives of Sabahwomen.
“I don’t know if it is still the case, but the complaints we used to hear in the past, from other women, is that the top positions in MPWS are politically decided and are also not ethnically diverse.”
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