WOMEN’S rights activists are concerned about further setbacks in efforts to instil gender equality in Malaysian society under the new Perikatan Nasional government, which includes Islamist PAS.

In interviews in conjunction with International Women’s Day today, some said PAS is known to have actively pushed laws that do no promote gender equality.

Concerns that the values of the old Umno regime, that suppressed free speech under the Barisan Nasional government, will also affect democratic reforms, which include women’s rights.

“Democracy and equality complement each other. Without democracy, it is difficult to implement the value of equality,” said Ng Geok Chee, who heads the Women’s Section in the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH).

“For the past two years, activists have been closely monitoring whether the Pakatan Harapan government would implement its promises of reforms.

“However, the road to reform has been cut short by PH’s downfall. This is a major challenge to democratic reforms. The direction of the new government is unknown.”

The PH government did much to help women and families, Ng said, adding that if rights reforms are stalled by the new government, women and children would be directly affected.

PH had also been looking at tabling a Sexual Harassment Bill in the March sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.

There is uncertainty now, after the PH government was ousted in a plot to form a new ruling coalition between Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s faction in Bersatu, Umno, PAS and ex-PKR leader Mohamed Azmin Ali.

The parliamentary sitting scheduled for March has also been delayed until May 18.

Ng said PH had been studying other reforms, such as a gender equality law and banning child marriage, while developing a nationwide strategy for coping with the latter.

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry had been looking at amending the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984 to increase the minimum marriageable age for Muslims to 18.

Veteran women’s rights activist Ho Yock Lin said the move by the PAS government in Terengganu to regulate arts and cultural performances, and to segregate the sexes was an indication of the party’s view of gender equality.

“Malaysia is a secular country that embraces multiple cultures and races,” Ho said.

The All Women’s Action Society (Awam), in a statement to The Malaysian Insight, said the new government should not abandon the reforms for women and children that the previous PH administration had been pursuing.

“The PH government has built on the foundation (laid by the Barisan Nasional government previously) and has been able to go much further.

“We would like to see this new government learn from its old regressive ways and work towards a democratic Malaysia with strong and just judiciary, a fair police force, and a good system of checks and balances,” Awam said.

It added that the new government can ensure greater reforms for women through more female MPs, as well as “encourage a systematic process within political parties to constantly ensure that female candidates are nominated for Parliament”.

Awam listed as some of the PH government’s achievements in advancing women and children’s rights:

Expanding Talian Kasih to WhatsApp for complaints on abuse, baby dumping and enquires on counselling;

Taking steps to address child marriage with a national action plan;

While the Ministry of Women under the Pakatan Harapan government has shown great concern in tackling the issue of teenage pregnancies and baby dumping, the handing out of condoms is not one of the strategies employed in their Anti-baby dumping campaign.; and

The #WanitaKerja initiative under Budget 2020 to bring more women into the workforce.

Ng also praised the i-Suri scheme introduced by PH to promote savings for home makers from their husbands’ contributions to the Employees Provident Fund. – March 8, 2020.