00:00An MCA leader has warned that abolishing women's wings in political parties without addressing
00:07systemic biases could further marginalise women in leadership roles.
00:12MCA Deputy Secretary-General Pamela Yong said the idea was bold but premature, citing deeply
00:19entrenched patriarchal mindsets among Malaysian politicians.
00:23Yong, who once contested for the party vice-presidency, said she was pressured by both male and female
00:30members to run for Wanita Chief, reflecting a mentality that limits women's political roles.
00:37Her comments follow lawyer-turned-activist Ambika Srinivasan's call to scrap women's
00:42wings in political parties, arguing that true gender equality required integrating women
00:47into mainstream leadership instead of confining them to a separate structure.
00:53Political analyst Shaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia
00:57said the MOOC would face resistance from political parties seeking to maintain familiar structures.
01:04Shaza also said there was a lack of political will to implement such a drastic shift,
01:09adding that, aside from the political ambitious, many women are comfortable
01:14just running the women's wing due to low confidence levels.
01:18Meanwhile, Ong Bee Leng, Chief Executive of the Penang Women's Development Corporation,
01:23said a legally-mandated 30% quota was necessary as Malaysia currently lacks a legal framework
01:30that ensures adequate political representation for women.
01:34However, Shaza cautioned that while quotas could increase female representation,
01:39they might also lead to token appointments.
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