DPM: Employers should consider hiring qualified mums as CEO

Wan Azizah says many of them suffered from the empty nest syndrome as their children have grown up and were ready to re-enter the workforce.

Wan Azizah with UK High Commissioner to Malaysia Vicki Treadell. They discussed a wide range of issues, including women, children, education and capacity building. (Twitter pic)

PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said employers should hire highly-qualified women, who had left their jobs to bring up their children, as chief executive officers and to fill senior management positions.

She noted that such women usually suffered from the empty nest syndrome when their children had all grown up and were now ready to re-enter the workforce.

“We have a Career Comeback Programme under TalentCorp. We need more employers who are willing to employ these women and use their expertise.”

She said this in a statement in conjunction with the courtesy call on her by United Kingdom High Commissioner to Malaysia Vicki Treadell here on Monday.

On the meeting with Treadell, Wan Azizah, who is also women, family and community development minister, said UK and Malaysia shared a close relationship.

Treadell, in the same statement, said UK was keen to work with Malaysia on a wide range of issues, including women, children, education and capacity building.

“One area you’re really doing well is in the sciences and we would love to work with you on this.”

She said other areas that both countries could collaborate in were education and capacity building.

“We stand ready to continue to work in areas we used to work in if that is the right thing to do. If there are new things to do, we are ready to work with you on that too,” she said.

On the 14th general election, Treadell said change was already visible in the country under the new government.

“This is now a Malaysia for all Malaysians. The world has sat up and noticed Malaysia.

“Malaysia is a beacon of hope for democracy. The democratic process is the winner in all this,” she said.

The UK is Malaysia’s 17th largest trading partner globally and the third largest trading partner in the European Union.

Total trade with UK increased by 7.1% to RM16.38 billion in 2017 compared with 2016.

Malaysian exports to UK grew by 10% to RM9.65 billion and imports increased by 2.7% to RM6.73 billion in 2017. -FMT