DAP headhunting women to fill 30 percent of local councillor posts
The DAP will be headhunting women to fulfil its party quota for the post of local councillor, said its Wanita chief Chong Eng.
The move was necessary as the party has yet to achieve the target of 30 percent women local councillors, Chong Eng added.
"It was decided at the National DAP Wanita Central Executive Committee in October 14 that we should headhunt women candidates with relevant abilities and who are supportive of DAP’s idealogy, as local councillors," Chong Eng told Malaysiakini.
"The local councils are closely knitted with the people’s livelihoods.
"Hence, I strongly believe that inclusive policies can be developed by increasing women representatives in the local councils," she added...
The DAP will be headhunting women to fulfil its party quota for the post of local councillor, said its Wanita chief Chong Eng (above).
The move was necessary as the party has yet to achieve the target of 30 percent women local councillors, Chong Eng added.
"It was decided at the National DAP Wanita Central Executive Committee in October 14 that we should headhunt women candidates with relevant abilities and who are supportive of DAP’s idealogy, as local councillors," Chong Eng told Malaysiakini.
"The local councils are closely knitted with the people’s livelihoods.
"Hence, I strongly believe that inclusive policies can be developed by increasing women representatives in the local councils," she added.
"As DAP strongly believes that the local council is the best training ground for leadership skills, the party has always been providing opportunities for young leaders to fill the post," she stressed.
Currently, the Penang DAP has 18 local councillors, but only three are women.
In order to achieve the minimum 30 percent target, the party needs to increase the number to six.
Pakatan Harapan's promise on page 181 in their Buku Harapan, specifically under "Iltizam Khas Untuk Wanita 5, number 2," states:
“To ensure women are at least 30 percent of policy makers in every level of governance.”
According to Chong Eng, Penang DAP has contacted all its branches and the parliamentary liason committees in Penang to nominate their candidates for local councillors in 2020.
The deadline for the nomination was yesterday, Nov 4.
However, Chong Eng is aware that due to societal stereotypes that positioned men as leadership figures, women have been facing difficulties becoming local councillors.
As a consequence, they also take a longer time to perform, she added.
"It is even more challenging for mothers who have to juggle between family and their careers," said the Penang executive councillor for women, family development, gender inclusiveness and religions other than Islam.
Chong Eng said the DAP Wanita wing had observed that most working women and working mothers could not join politics, mostly due to the lack of time.
Most of them, she added, could only enter politics after their children have grown up or during their retirement.
"Nevertheless, Penang DAP Wanita has successfully persuaded some capable and talented women who are willing to serve the people and society to help DAP to achieve the minimum 30 percent target," she said.
"Thus, we will request the party to select and appoint these women as local councillors if we are unable to find willing candidates within the party," added Chong Eng, who is the Padang Lalang assemblyperson.
It is learnt that Penang DAP Wanita chairperson Lim Siew Khim (above) and Chong Eng have met with the state DAP secretary Lim Hui Ying and the state chairman Chow Kon Yeow to convey the National DAP’s Women Wing’s decision.
Chong Eng expressed hope and belief that Penang DAP will be pioneering such an initiative to achieve the 30 percent women local councillors target by next year.
She said gender equality and increasing women representation in decision making have always been one of the DAP's main political agenda.
Chow, who is Penang's Chief Minister, has repeatedly stated that the party will achieve the target of at least 30 percent of women in local city councils in Penang by 2020.
"He has urged DAP Wanita (Women Wing) to continue to scout for women with relevant potential and talent," Chong Eng said.
"I hereby call for all women members of the party to actively participate and accept nominations.
"Women who are interested should nominate themselves, even without the nomination from your branch leader," Chong Eng said.
"At the moment we may be headhunting for one or two candidates only, as we are also considering and looking out for talent within the party," Chong Eng added.
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