COMMENT | It is absolutely appalling that not a single party has offered at least 30 percent women candidates in the upcoming Sabah state election. Only 43 out of the 447 candidates contesting in the upcoming Sabah elections are women. Only voters from 32 constituencies have the chance to vote for a woman candidate.

Let's not kid ourselves here. Clearly, women's issues have not only been demoted and pushed down the priority ladder but in the hearts and minds of politicians, it appears to have been taken off the ladder altogether.

For so long, women's issues have been chucked away as "domestic affairs," best settled at home behind closed doors - as discreetly as possible. Oh, and even if things are not being "settled" quite as "discreetly," the thing to do is to pretend you don't hear or see anything.

That is exactly what politicians are doing - pretending that they don't hear or see anything.

The issues faced by women are not new. Quite honestly, those who complain about these issues are just as fed up as those who are sick of hearing about these issues. These issues remain unresolved because that is how long politicians have kept sweeping them under the carpet.

Well, you know what? ...