Scrapping women’s wings could sideline women further, says MCA leader

 

Lawyer-turned-activist Ambiga Sreenevasan previously called for an end to the practice of having women’s wings in political parties.

PETALING JAYA: 

An MCA leader has warned that abolishing women’s wings in political parties without addressing systemic biases could further marginalise women in leadership roles.

MCA deputy secretary-general Pamela Yong said the idea was “bold but premature”, citing deeply entrenched patriarchal mindsets among Malaysian politicians.

Yong, who once contested for the party vice-presidency, recalled how both male and female party members pressured her to run for the post of Wanita chief.

Pamela Yong.

“This reflects the mentality that assumes a woman’s political space is predetermined and should not extend beyond that designated role.

“There are unconscious biases that need to be addressed before we can expect true equality,” she told FMT.

Her comments follow lawyer-turned-activist Ambiga Sreenevasan’s call to scrap women’s wings in political parties, arguing that true gender equality required integrating women into mainstream leadership instead of confining them to a separate structure.

Political analyst Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) said the move would face resistance from political parties seeking to maintain “familiar structures”.

“I don’t think it’s realistic in the Malaysian context to get rid of women’s wings as they prefer to maintain the structure that they’ve known and are comfortable with,” she said.

Syaza Shukri.

Syaza also said there was a lack of political will to implement such a drastic shift.

“Except for the politically ambitious, some women are comfortable just running the women’s wing as the confidence level of our women is not fully there,” she added.

Ambiga had also urged political parties to set a firm target of 30% female representation in their candidate lineups, saying that such a move would set a trend for greater inclusion of women in politics.

Ong Bee Leng, chief executive of the Penang Women’s Development Corporation, said a legally mandated 30% quota was necessary, as Malaysia currently lacks a legal framework that ensures adequate political representation for women.

Ong Bee Leng.

“If you have just one woman in a room of ten, her voice gets drowned out, but making the quota legal would ensure a starting point where there are more voices to be heard, providing a more holistic discussion,” she said.

However, Syaza cautioned that while quotas could increase female representation, they might also lead to token appointments.

“Some people don’t like the idea of a legal quota because then parties may not put in qualified people,” she said. - FMT