The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service (Cuepacs) has expressed concern about the increasing predominance of female employees in the civil service.

Its secretary-general Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin this is because such an imbalance will have long-term implications on the progress and growth of the country.

More and more female officers were being appointed to important

decision-making posts, such that almost three quarters of the new posts in the administrative and diplomatic service were being filled by women, he said.

This, said Ahmad Shah, is contrary to the present government policy of reserving only 30 per cent of decision-making posts for women.

The teaching profession was also dominated by women, he added.

30:70 male to female teachers ratio

According to Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam, the ratio of male to female teachers was 30:70.

Ahmad Shah said that while Cuepacs appreciated the government’s gender equality policy, it nevertheless wanted it to be implemented with great care so so not to upset the balance between male and female employees.

He said both men and women had their strengths and weaknesses.

Meanwhile, National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng said that although there were more female teachers, the decision-making process in the education service was dominated by men. 

She said female teachers were performing very well and providing quality education to children.

She suggested that the ministry recruit more male teachers in certain areas like sports, physical education, and co-curriculum, saying that the ideal would be a 50-50 ratio for male and femal teachers.

- Bernama