Women plays a critical role in the economic development of a country and is described as the final barrier towards a developed and high-income economy. Developed countries and high-income economies have an average female labour force participation rate of at least 60 percent.

For this reason, Malaysia must increase its female labour force participation rate from the present 54 percent in 2015 to 60 percent to succeed in our transformation into a developed country and high-income economy. To succeed in this effort, the federal government must encourage women to work not just with better pay and also equal promotion prospects, but also with incentives to allow their children to be taken off whilst they work.

The burden of child caring still falls on women in Malaysian society. Women will just not work if their children are not taken care of. Child care must fulfil the triple requisites of availability, accessibility and affordability. Unfortunately the federal government has not address these issues the seriousness and attention warranted by offering adequate physical facilities and monetary incentives.

Failure to encourage more women to work would jeopardise Malaysia’s efforts to be a developed country and high-income economy by 2020. As Britain’s first woman prime minister once said, “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

LIM GUAN ENG is DAP secretary-general and MP For Bagan.