KUALA LUMPUR: The government is exploring ways to increase women's representation in politics, including studying approaches adopted by other countries, such as allocating seats specifically for women.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said achieving the 30 per cent target remained challenging and required the support of political leaders.
She said the government was examining possible approaches to address the issue, but progress would be difficult without political parties giving women greater opportunities to contest elections and take up leadership positions.
"We have to be aware that all the political party leaders in our country are men. Will they give women the opportunity?" she said during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She was responding to supplementary questions from Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) on measures to improve women's participation in politics and whether the government would revive proposals to legislate a 30 per cent representation target.
Nancy said the government was comparing approaches adopted by other countries to identify ways to increase women's participation in political decision-making.
"We need to look at how other countries do it, perhaps through women-only seats. But we also need the agreement and buy-in of political leaders," she said.
She called on women leaders across political parties to work together to advance the issue, stressing that efforts to improve representation should transcend political affiliations.
Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (PH-Sekijang) also highlighted the slow progress in women's political representation, noting that women accounted for fewer than 11 per cent of Dewan Rakyat members, compared with a previous high of about 14 per cent.
She asked whether the ministry would consider reviving a proposed law to ensure 30 per cent representation or the Gender Parity in Political Representation Bill, which she said had stalled since 2018.
Nancy said achieving the target would not be easy, but the government would continue exploring possible solutions and engaging political leaders.
She added that the ministry's efforts to strengthen women's leadership extended beyond politics, including initiatives to develop their leadership potential and expand opportunities for them to take up decision-making roles.
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