At Umno wings AGM, women lead policy talks while youths focus on politics

 

During the Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri Umno general assemblies yesterday, there was a clear and marked difference between how much time the women's wings spoke about public policy issues compared to the men-only youth wing.

A NotebookLM AI-assisted analysis of the debates and speeches, including speech texts and livestreams of the day’s proceedings, indicates that, proportionately, the Wanita and Puteri wings spent 30 to 35 percent more time talking about policy compared to the menfolk.

A human-review of speeches found that in the case of Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, his speeches focused entirely on politics, with only passing mentions of public policy issues such as socioeconomics and education as matters that he believed Malays felt anxious about.

Contrast that with Wanita Umno chief Noraini Ahmad - who made several public policy remarks, including a call for Umno to be at the forefront of getting a Political Funding Act enacted.

Noraini also called for empowerment of women to be independent financially, such as through the Job Empowerment by Learning and Inclusive Technical Advancement (Jelita) programme and an upcoming women’s centre of excellence dubbed Delima, which would focus on developing entrepreneurs.

Wanita Umno chief Noraini Ahmad

“This is Wanita Umno’s struggle, to ensure that there are no hardworking women who are left without a safety net and a future,” she said in her opening speech yesterday.

She added that women also needed to play a greater role in the halal industry, with a call for this to be a primary agenda of the National Halal Industry Development Council (MPIH). Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi heads the council.

Protecting women

Puteri Umno chief Nurul Amal Fauzi called for there to be more effective protection and enforcement mechanisms to protect women in the workplace from discrimination.

She said that besides sexual harassment, women still face income inequality and are being overlooked for promotions, while some women are still being denied opportunities or jobs because they are either pregnant or have children.

Nurul Amal also called on the government to introduce policies that can help local brands sustain themselves, that was not just limited to financial support.

She said there was a need to ensure that policies impact those who need them, and that entrepreneurship could help uplift youths who are now juggling multiple gig work to make a living.

Puteri Umno chief Nurul Amal Fauzi

On the delegate level, Wanita and Puteri Umno speakers also made a range of policy suggestions, including:

• Making artificial intelligence (AI) and digital literacy a central pillar of youth development

• That Malaysian Skills Certificates (SKM) based on experience be upgraded to diploma equivalents

• Improving public mental health services through Mentari clinics

• Free HPV vaccinations for lower-income women

• Enforced alimony payments and legal aid for domestic violence victims

• Expanding the number of government childcare centres that can take in children with autism

• Making sure that halal food is not just permissible to eat but also nutritious

One delegate, Paya Besar Wanita Umno division chief Fauziah Abdul Wahab, also said that since more women are graduating in Islamic studies than men, there should be more women hired as expert consultants in state Islamic departments and fatwa committees, more women as syariah judges, and even female muftis.

Not to be outdone

Delegates at the Umno Youth AGM saved the meeting from being focused totally on politics and DAP bashing, with several policy suggestions of their own, including:

• Expanding vocational studies training to dive into the electric vehicle industry, as well as maritime work

• Reinstating pre-harvest financial assistance to paddy farmers

• A clean-up of Ali Baba practices, where business licences are rented out to foreigners

• Reforming criminal records so that youths under 18 convicted of certain offences can still find gainful employment

• Redefining affordable housing prices with government policies to drive prices down

The Umno wings AGM concluded yesterday, with the main body convening today.

The Umno AGM for 2025 will end tomorrow. - Mkini