KUALA LUMPUR: The women empowerment will continue to be one of the important national agendas and it requires a high commitment from all stakeholders to make it successful.
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, women’s perspective should always be taken into consideration when making policies and planning programmes to ensure women will be given a justified space and opportunity in the national development.
Ismail said, in the effort to recognise the roles of women in the process of making decision and strengthening leadership and the effectiveness of the board of directors, the government via the Security Commission will compulsorily appoint at least one female board of director in all public listed companies.
“This proposal is expected to be effective on 1st September 2022 for companies with huge capital and 1st June 2023 for other listed companies,” Ismail said in his speech in conjunction with the Women’s Day Celebration 2022 here this evening (Tuesday 8th March).
Ismail who is also the Member of Parliament for Bera stressed that the government has taken the initiative to increase the Local Social Support Centres and empower the Women, Children Sexual Investigation Division (D11) Royal Police Malaysia (RPM) to ensure fast and serious action will be taken on the criminals.
Ismail added, besides that the community awareness to address aggression against women is implemented via “Skuad Waja. To ensure that women’s health is protected the government has allocated RM11 million as a subsidy for mamogram test for high risk women and implement cervical cancer test screening.
Prime Minister Ismail added, to ensure the empowerment of Malaysian women continues, several initiatives will be introduced including the formation of the Nationl Women Council (BDPS) and the formulation of the Anti Sexual Bill (BDPS)
“To help women who have to undergo the long divorce process the Hakam Institution under the Malaysian Syariah Judiciary have to be strengthened. Hakam is a system to make the divorce process easier and faster among Muslim couples,” Ismail said.
Regarding the divorce, the government via the Malaysian Syariah Judiciary Department will introduce the Financial Financing Act where the bank can freeze the husband’s account with the court’s order. The bank is allowed to make payment from the husband’s account involving money that has been frozen to the wife in case the wife has made claims in the court. This system is called Hiwalah.
Ismail emphasized that realising the sadness and the burden shouldered by women whose husbands have died, the Head of Department and the top management in all organisations are encouraged to allow the women concerned to work from home in a reasonable period of time for them to manage the late husband’s left dealings.
“The Women’s Day celebration is to be celebrated compulsorily on 8th March every year at the state and Federal levels to appreciate and recognise the roles and contributions of women,” Ismail said. – Malaysia World News
