Fatimah when met by reporters at her office on Tuesday – photo by Muhammad Rais Sanu
KUCHING: Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah has called on the private sector to accept the proposed three-day paternity leave.
Fatimah urged employers to consider it a “win-win situation” for both employers and employees.
“Should employers provide their employees with paternity leave, there will be an increase in their productivity and reduced workplace pressure,” she said when met by reporters at her office in Bangunan Baitulmakmur yesterday.
Farimah, who lauded the proposal, said the paternity leave could benefit employees, especially fathers, in terms of settling various affairs at home while the mother was in labour and tending to her newborn child.
“During childbirth, normally the father has to apply for leave to tend to the various home affairs, namely to register the newborn child as well as to care for his children.
“This, in turn, serves as a way for employers to tend to employees’ welfare,” she added.
She opined that three days of paternity leave was inadequate to the fathers and that they should be given at least five days of leave.
“Instead of providing fathers with three days of paternity leaves, of which I feel that it’s barely enough, a five-day paternity leave should be in order as the father plays a vital role in the family during childbirth.”
Highlighting the impact of the father’s role in a family, she stressed that active involvement of the father will greatly impact the children’s growth with positive effects.
She explained that various studies showed that children with involved fathers had better cognitive, social and emotional development.
“The children will also perform better in school compared to children who are only getting their guidance from the mother.”
Prior to her meeting with the reporters, she received a courtesy call from Sarawak Mirage Club and Wishesland at her office.