Call for swift set up of ‘30% Club’

GEORGE TOWN: A prominent activist has called upon Putrajaya to hasten the process to achieve better representation of women.
Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir urged urgency in ensuring women are represented not only in the boardroom but also in the political arena.
"There is no point having 30% of women as business leaders when the really important policy decisions are made in politics," she told 180 participants of the Women's Development Forum 2014 today.
Other speakers at the event included AMD Malaysia finance vice-president Boonsiri Somchit, Kakiseni head Low Ngai Yuen and Performance Management Delivery Unit (Pemandu) Education and Human Capital Development director Tengku Azian Shahriman.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had on Monday said the government is mulling a "30% Club" to increase women participation in leadership roles.
He was quoted as saying the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and Pemandu are studying the matter.
Marina pointed out that the move comes 24 years after Malaysia ratified the United Nations Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) in 1995.
She noted that if the government practised having a 30% quota, there would be eight women ministers in the Cabinet instead of the present two.
"These women ministers cannot all be in the Women Ministry, they will have to be given the more masculine and notable posts," she added.