Perak Pakatan Rakyat’s three component parties have come to a consensus to allocate 30 percent of their state seats to women in the next general election.

This is good news for women members in the Pakatan as they celebrate Women’s Day on Monday.

The Perak Pakatan women’s wing held their meeting in Ipoh yesterday with PAS Muslimat’s information chief Salbiah Abdul Wahab calling for the women in Pakatan to play an active role.

Women should be empowered to contribute to the ‘tsunami’ that had overtaken the country on March 8, 2008, and increase their participation in political activities such as street demonstrations, which are usually dominated by their male counterparts.

NONE Selangor exco in charge of welfare, women’s affairs, science, technology, innovation and culture Rodziah Ismail noted that March 8 is the International Women’s Day as well as the anniversary of Pakatan’s electoral success at the polls.

Taking a swipe at Umno’s Wanita wing, Ridziah said they had not worked to ensure the enforcement of such laws as the Domestic Violence Act 1994 nor the Child Protection Act 1991.

 

She urged Pakatan women’s wing to go to the grassroots and get the support of more women, who make up half of the voting population.

“We want to empower the women economically and boost their welfare status to a higher level,” she added.

The meet was attended by former Perak menteri besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham and other Pakatan leaders.