Percentage of women fielded should be proportionate to their contribution - Shahrizat
KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Bernama) -- State UMNO liaison chairmen are asked to ensure that the number of women candidates contesting are proportionate with the contribution of women in the party in line with the women empowerment agenda in the Barisan National (BN) manifesto.
UMNO Wanita chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said this was to ensure the target of 30 per cent women candidates in the 14th General Election (GE14) was being attained.
"We ask that the liaison chairmen not to forget women candidates. There must be affirmative action to ensure the percentage of women candidates contesting is reasonable.
"We have submitted a list of candidates, who are experienced and also new faces who have and are still serving (the party)," he told reporters after chairing the UMNO Wanita Political Bureau meeting with state Wanita chiefs here today.
Shahrizat, who is also BN Wanita chief, said the movement would continue to champion its agenda to increase the number of women at the Parliamentary and the state legislative assembly levels.
Touching on the BN manifesto launched last Saturday, Shahrizat said she would make sure the 25 recommendations concerning women in the manifesto are implemented if given the mandate in the GE14.
Among the 25 recommendations are to form the Women Economic Council, specially for the women's economic agenda; set up a Special Court for marriage, hadhanah (child custody) and nafkah (alimony) as well as the establishment of the National Syariah Judiciary Council.
--BERNAMA
