Media Statement by Hannah
Yeoh and Yeo Bee Yin, DAP Wanita Selangor Chairwoman and Organizing Secretary
on behalf of DAP Wanita Selangor on Tuesday 8 March in Petaling Jaya.
On this International Women’s Day, DAP Wanita
Selangor urges the Selangor State Government to take the lead and set an
example in empowering women by providing and promoting quality, affordable and
safe childcare services.
Today, for many women,
juggling domestic responsibilities and career aspirations is a reality they
have to contend with on a day-to-day basis. It is commonly acknowledged that
one of the main reasons women leave the workforce is due to childbirth. This
reveals that the responsibility of childcare still lies largely on the
shoulders of women. In many instances, the increasingly high costs of childcare
in Malaysia forces one parent (usually the mother) to stay home to care for the
child.
In a recent study done by the
Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development and the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP), Selangor is reported to have one of the highest
percentages of women in the workforce, behind Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
Indeed, Selangor has made
progress in the past 7 years in promoting women welfare. In the Selangor state
legislative assembly, women make up of 15 out 56 (26%) of the state legislators
(ADUN) compared to a mere 10% in Parliament. As for the DAP, 5 out of 15 (33%)
of our Selangor elected representatives are women.
Selangor is one of the first
states to offer 90-days maternity leave. 10 out of 42 Selangor state government
buildings are equipped with nursery/pre-school facilities. In addition, the
Selangor state government also provides childcare subsidies to low-income
families (household income below RM2500): (i) Skim Bantuan Tadika Selangor
(TUNAS) that provides a RM50/month subsidy for children aged 4 to 6 attending
pre-school; and (ii) Skim Bantuan Asuhan Rakyat (Si Kembar) that provide as RM50/month nursery subsidy
for children below 4 years of age.
Such achievements should be
applauded. Nevertheless, as the most developed state in Malaysia, we believe
there is still room for improving women’s welfare in Selangor especially in the
area of childcare. While we understand that childcare is supposed to be under
the jurisdiction of the federal government, we believe that we should not wait
for things to happen at the federal level, and that we should be more proactive
and forward-thinking.
Therefore, on this
International Women's Day, DAP Wanita Selangor urges the Selangor State
Government to take the lead and set an example in empowering women by providing
and promoting quality, affordable and safe childcare. Initiatives should be
introduced to encourage the growth of the female workforce in Selangor such as:
i. Ensuring all buildings belonging to the Selangor state government are equipped
with childcare and pre-school facilities as per our 13th General Election
Manifesto;
ii. Providing a specific
allocation in the annual State Budget for the creation of more childcare
facilities in low-cost areas; and
iii. Ensuring upcoming Rumah
Selangorku developments have space earmarked for childcare facilities.
It is time that mothers who
aspire to work be given some tangible support such as affordable and safe
childcare, starting with the civil servants working for the State Government.
DAP Wanita Selangor looks forward to a more women-friendly workplace in
Selangor to harness the best the women workforce can offer in the state's
economy.
