KUALA LUMPUR: Local authorities (PBT) need to prioritise the needs of the people rather than having to meet the stipulation on 30 per cent quota for women councillors, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said today.
She said, however, that the stipulation should be gauged and based on the needs of the residents in the area and not made arbitrarily.
“We have a target for 30 per cent female participation in most local authorities,” said Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister.
“However, we need to be more detailed. It (PBT) must qualify (to have 30 per cent women councillors) and take into consideration the needs for the population.
“One of the conditions is that it would be best to choose PBT councillors from among local residents and voters,” she said when participating in the Aidiladha sacrificial slaughter programme at the Nurul Hidayah Mosque in Kg Pandan Dalam, Ampang, here today.
Dr Wan Azizah spent about an hour with hundreds of villagers in conjunction in the celebration and took time to shake hands and take photos with them.
Yesterday, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the ministry would review allocations to PBT which failed to observe the 30 per cent quota for women
Many PBT have begun implementing the policy and its effectiveness will be reviewed in two years.
Currently, each PBT has 24 councillors and if they follow the 30 per cent quota for women, then there should be at least eight women.
Councillors are appointed every two years and if the PBT fails to comply with the requirements under the Star Rating System, there is a possibility that they will fail to get the allocation which means they will have to be re-evaluated. – Bernama