MALAYSIA’S gender equality law is to include anti-discrimination provisions, Women, Family and Community Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh said today.

“Gender equality is not just about gender equality. We are also looking at the anti-discrimination part – not just on gender, but discrimination of people on other grounds. We are looking into merging that,” the Segambut MP told the media after an event in Taman Bukit Kiara in Kuala Lumpur today.

The country’s religious authorities will also be consulted on gender equality, she added.

“We are making consultations. The next step is to consult with religious authorities, because there are certain cultural practices in Malaysia that (may appear to be) unequal,” Yeoh said.

Asked about the government’s timeline to enact a gender equality act, she said there was none, but added that the ministry was working towards it.

Yeoh recently said government departments heads would have to attend gender sensitisation courses as part of efforts to tackle sexual discrimination and harassment at the workplace.

She said the issue had to be addressed through education as well, not merely through laws.

Yeoh added the move was also to ensure that ministries will not ignore these cases at the workplace.

This follows news of an alleged cover-up of sexual harassment cases at a government hospital involving a department head against his female subordinates. – August 4, 2018.