KUALA LUMPUR: The year 2009 witnessed women in the country making great strides in the field of administration, entrepreneurship, education and employment.
NEW SENATORS: Dewan Negara Deputy Speaker Senator Datuk Armani Mahiruddin (right) talking to Deputy Minister of Information Communication, Arts and Culture Senator Heng Seai Kie after they were sworn in as senators earlier this year. – Bernama photo
The earliest recognition for women came as soon as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took office in April where he added another two women deputy ministers to his new administration.
Najib’s line-up has two ministers and six deputy ministers from the fairer sex.
The two women ministers are Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.
The two new faces are Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shirlin and Deputy Minister of Information Communication, Arts and Culture Senator Heng Seai Kie.
Meanwhile, Senator Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun was reappointed to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, this time as a deputy minister.
The others are Deputy Agriculture and Agro Based Industries Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim, Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Maznah Mazlan, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Tan Lian Hoe and Deputy Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Noriah Kasnon.
The appointments stand as testament to Najib’s confidence on the fairer sex’s ability and integrity in holding important positions in the government.
During the year 2009 more women in Malaysia chose entrepreneurship despite the lack of financial support and global economic woes.
Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said in June the government has taken note of the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has been given the task to identify the factors that impede women in business.
Chew pointed out that 16 per cent of the small and medium scale industries (SME) involved in services and manufacturing, belong to women.
“Malaysian women entrepreneurs are increasingly gaining recognition as the main players in the economy, especially SMEs, and there are even some heading multinationals that were once dominated by their male counterparts,” she said.
Women could now hope for numerous grants and government funds, including special assistance schemes through Small and Medium Industries Corporation (Smidec).
In the field of education, it is obvious that the women are ahead compared to their male counterpart.
This is proven by the fact that 65 per cent or 26,200 of the 40,366 candidates offered places for a first degree at public institutions of higher learning for the 2009/2010 academic sessions are women.
The Director General of the Higher Education Department Prof Datuk Ir Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi noted the gender imbalance in the institutions of higher learning being something unavoidable as the intake now is based on meritocracy.
Though this gender inequality issue crops up annually but striking a balance seems to be difficult.
Nevertheless, there are some fields of study where the masculine gender still .