Rafidah Aziz is known as a strong and no-nonsense leader who is not afraid of speaking her mind on issues she feels strongly about.

And it was no different for her today.

Rafidah Aziz sent her Wanita Umno members a strong message to reflect on - quality matters, not quantity.

The long-serving Wanita Umno chief wants them to stop playing the numbers game but strive for quality.

"Numbers are simply not good enough if half of them are there looking like wallpapers. We may send delegates by the busloads but what is the point if they are afraid, shy and don't dare to speak up but only become yes women.

"But if we have one or two delegates who can really understand issues, then we can expect some changes. To me this is more important," said the International Trade and Industry Minister, according to a Bernama report..

Rafidah's strong message comes in the wake of sentiments from Wanita Umno grassroots calling for more women to be given decision-making positions in Umno.

Wanita members had argued that since half of the Umno membership are women, it should be reflected at the decision-making level.

After having slogged to whip up support for the party and BN in every general election, it was time the movement be accorded better recognition at the party hierarchy, particularly in the powerful supreme council, Umno's highest decision-making body.

A Wanita Umno leader said a stronger women representation was timely and appropriate compared to the less than 10 percent currently.

To this, Rafidah retorted: "It does not matter... it's how strong the 10 percent is."

She said recognition should not be an issue because of the fact that two Wanita Umno leaders are cabinet ministers was proof of this.

"Wanita Ummo members, please remember. Wanita Umno chief and deputy chief (Shahrizat Abdul Jalil) are ministers. You look at that, that's it.

"This is not the case with Umno Youth. Sometimes even the leader is not a minister while the Wanita Umno chief and deputy chief have always been appointed full ministers.

"Even when I was not the Wanita chief for a while, I still remained a minister," she said.

'What's all this fuss about?'

Rafidah also pointed out that almost all the Wanita Umno representatives in Parliament are either deputy ministers or parliamentary secretaries.

"Is this not a recognition, you tell me. What's all this fuss about?"

"Of course, the more, the merrier. My hope is not only for Wanita Umno alone, but also for women wings of BN components, but it looks like there's no hope unless the cabinet is enlarged to 50 members," she said.

On vying for party posts, Rafidah said Wanita Umno did not prevent members from contesting for top posts at branch or division level.

However, the aspirants should not neglect their responsibilities to their families.

"She may be good, intelligent but if she has a young child, then it will lead to problems. Never neglect their education and leave the husband all alone to fend for himself in the pursuit to be a divisional leader," she said.

Rafidah said the movement encouraged members to contest for posts so long as they are accepted by voters.

"But please don't exert pressure. I don't like division leaders who last only for one term and then they disappear. This is not effective leadership. We want them to remain for quite some time," she added.