THE Penang government always encourages more women to take up leadership positions, says state executive councillor Chong Eng.
The state Women and Family Development, Gender Inclusiveness & Religions Other Than Islam Committee chairman said women should start to become more active in the local community organisations as well as be courageous to hold positions.
“As a start, they can aim for the chairman and secretary positions in the Village Community Management Councils (MPKKs).
“They need to be brave and bold to take up the responsibility of such positions so that their voices can be heard.
“They can help in the decision-making process and prioritise more to the needs of both women and men,” she said in her speech during the MPKK Leadership Development Workshop at the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Penang branch in Seberang Jaya recently.
Chong Eng, who is also Padang Lalang assemblyman, said Penang was the first state to implement the policy for a 30 percent female representation in the MPKKs by 2021.
“The state government knows that it is very important to increase women’s leadership in the MPKKs. That will serve as a benchmark or as a starting point for female leaders to involve themselves in the political arena at the state level.
“As for the first half of this year, the representation of women among the MPKK committee members in Penang was 1,270 members or at 23 percent.
“This shows that we have reached the minimum representation of women set for 2019.
“The next step is to increase women representation as chairman and secretary in MPKK to at least 30 percent,” Chong Eng added.
According to Chong Eng, if the numbers of women’s representation in an organisation increase, it would be much easier in making the policy towards women-friendly.
“I believe we are one step closer to achieving the gender equality,” she said.
Also present were Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) chief executive officer Ong Bee Leng and PWDC head of women & family development department Susan Chong.
The one-day workshop, which was organised by PWDC with the collaboration of the State Executive Council (MMK), was to equip women with leadership skills and knowledge about gender equality issues.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix courtesy of Penang Women’s Development Corporation