Change election law to set 30% seat quota for women, says PH wing

 

Aiman Athirah Sabu said political parties that fail to reach a 30% quota of women candidates should be barred from taking part in elections. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Pakatan Harapan’s women’s leader has called for the law to be changed, requiring 30% of legislature seats to be set aside for women. She also called for a special incentive scheme to reward political parties that achieve a 30% quota of women election candidates.

Aiman Athirah Sabu, who is also a deputy minister, suggested that the incentive scheme proposal should be brought to the Cabinet.

She said the Elections Act and election regulations should be amended immediately to include a provision requiring a minimum of 30% of women candidates. Parties which fail to field 30% of women candidates should be disqualified from taking part in elections, she told FMT.

When this proposal is legislated, all parties will have to follow accordingly. Parties will not be able to give excuses or play the blame game when they do not field enough women,

 said Aiman, who is also head of the Amanah women’s wing.

I understand it requires a process. However, this must begin immediately, as it has already taken far too long (30 years),

 she said.

Asked about the incentive scheme, Aiman proposed that the government provide 

grants in monetary form or any suitable incentives

 to strengthen the women’s wings of political parties.

We have a lot of suitable and capable women leaders, but they have not been given the opportunity to be candidates,

 she told FMT.

She added that no political party had committed to fielding 30% of women candidates so far, even though some parties already have a 30% quota for women leadership for party positions.

Aiman said the push for 30% women representation had been unsuccessful in the past, but expressed confidence that the proposal would succeed under the unity government led by Anwar Ibrahim. - FMT