Budget 2015 unfair to women, says MP
MalaysiaKini.com
Oct 14, 2014

Despite the prime minister recognition that "women have a pivotal role in national development", what they received in the 2015 Budget was "insignificant", said a DAP MP.

Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching noted that the government had even slashed the allocation for NAM Institute for The Empowerment of Women (NIEW) by 60 percent, from RM 8.4 million to RM 3.2 million.

"While I appreciate and welcome the efforts of the government to initiate Young Professional Women Entrepreneurs Development Programme, Strengthening Women Directors Programme and Women Career Comeback Programme, non-professional women have been neglected," Teo said.

She also questioned the government’s decision in limiting childcare leave for female civil servants up to the child’s first year.

"Why should there be any age limit? Options should be given to the mothers to apply for childcare leave if they feel that their children need them at any particular period of time."

Extend childcare leave to fathers

Teo believed that the government should also look into extending the childcare leave to the father of the children to stop the stereotyping of women.

"The childcare leave should be extended to the fathers as it is the responsibility of both parents to look after the kids.

"The current policy will not help to change the stereotype that it is only the responsibility of women to take care of children," she said in a statement today.

Comparing the budget allocations for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to the Prime Minister’s Department, Teo said that the former received the shorter end of the stick.

"In the Budget 2015, the allocation (for Women, Family and Community Development Ministry) increased by only 2.7 percent to RM2.26 billion.

"In contrast, the total budget received by the Prime Minister’s (Department) has escalated from RM16.45 billion to RM19.06 billion, an increase of 15.9 percent!" Teo said.

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