A LETTER signed by more than 250 Petaling Jaya voters including party volunteers, civil society leaders, and activists has urged PKR to allow incumbent women lawmakers to be nominated in the upcoming 15th general election. 

The group of individuals has expressed concern over the possible cuts to women candidates in GE15. 

“We applauded the announcement by Anwar Ibrahim that PKR will field 30% women candidates in GE15. 

“However, as representatives of the various civil society movements, we would like to express our deep concern following the recent news report quoting anonymous sources within PKR saying that the party is cutting down its women candidates, despite its pledge. 

“The article mentions that incumbents like Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Maria Chin Abdullah, Tan Yee Kew and June Leow Hsiad Hui are among the names rumoured to have a high possibility of being replaced by male candidates,” said the group. 

The group said MPs such as Wan Azizah and Chin have a proven track record and have continued to champion poverty, gender discrimination, and women’s issues. 

While the content of the article could be brushed aside as being merely rumour, it would be unsettling to believe that PKR could contemplate such a move, considering that the party was leading the charge for greater representation of women, and that gender equality was crucial to the reform agenda. 

“Kak Wan (Wan Azizah) is a leading figure in Malaysian politics, carrying PKR, the opposition coalition and the reform movement through some of its toughest moments. 

“She is also the first woman deputy prime minister. Her experience and insight are invaluable and should not be discarded at a crucial time in Malaysian politics. 

“Another name mentioned is Maria Chin Abdullah, a former Bersih chair and a prominent name among gender and human rights activists in Malaysia. We require more activists like Chin at the Dewan Rakyat,” the group added. 

Several sources within the party’s women’s wing fear that this would affect at least 50% of the incumbent women MPs, causing the party to fall short of its pledge to ensure a 30% minimum quota of female candidates. 

It was also reported that the PKR leadership planned to field new female candidates in parliamentary seats that might not be advantageous to them. – October 25, 2022.