We will protect pregnant employees, vows deputy minister

PARLIAMENT The Human Resource Ministry has urged those who face discrimination from employers due to pregnancy to come forward.

Deputy minister Ismail Abd Muttalib told the Dewan Rakyat that his ministry does not tolerate such forms of discrimination.

"I will not allow discrimination against female employees. The ministry, through the Labour Department, will investigate any company if there is any case involving discrimination," he said.

He said Putrajaya is learning from developed countries on the protection of female employees and also in the midst of reviewing relevant laws.

He added that female employees who are terminated from work due to pregnancy can file a case under Section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act.

Ismail was responding to Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR-Ampang) who cited a Women's Aide Organisation (WAO) survey on various forms of discrimination faced by women at work.

Of the 222 respondents, 44 percent said they had either lost a job, missed out on promotions, demoted or put through prolonged probation because they were pregnant.

Previously, teacher Noorfadilla Ahmad Saikin filed a case in court after her job offer as a relief teacher was recanted when the government found out she was pregnant.

She was the first to successfully apply the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) in a gender discrimination case in Malaysia.

The government lost all appeals, but continued to appeal against the damages awarded to the teacher.

Last year, the Shah Alam High Court, however slashed 90 percent of the quantum of compensation awarded to the teacher. -Mkini