KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor has urged women to continue to voice out and fight to increase the representation of women in Parliament through an amendment in the Federal Constitution.
He said the Federal Constitution was a living document that could be amended according to changes in time and not downplay the rights of any individual in the country.
“Ladies, I understand you want a proposition of presentation in the Parliament, so let me say now is the best time, but you need pressure groups.
“I suggest that, if you want more women in Parliament, you amend this book (the Federal Constitution), you got only three years before the next election… (The Federal Constitution) is something alive, if you hold on to the old without amendments, we will still be behind,” he said.
Ramli was speaking as a panellist of the dialogue session, 'Parliamentary Governance: Legislative Power and Limits', in conjunction with the Third Malaysian Parliament Symposium held at the Parliament building today.
The dialogue session was moderated by TV3 personality Nadia Azmi, with Deputy Dewan Negara Speaker Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Prof Datuk Sivamurugan Pandian as fellow panellists.
Currently, there are only 30 women MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.
Meanwhile, Sivamurugan said it was improper that women are discriminated against in politics, especially if an individual is promising.
“Women can no longer be vote beggars moving from house to house just to seek votes for political parties.
“If they have leadership that will create trust in the people, then they need to be given the chance and access inclusively, even if they have disabilities,” he said, adding that discrimination against women would only complicate efforts by the country to achieve a mature political environment capable of propelling the country ahead.
“Discrimination is linked to winning public trust, and many studies conducted show that politicians are at the lowest rung.
“Why has public trust eroded, because this narrative needs to change, so women should step forward, in line with the fundamental trust belief in any institution,” Sivamurugan said.
— Bernama
