(Perak, Wednesday): One of the best ways to judge whether a country is really civilized, developed and progressive is through the way its women are treated.

After almost 50 years of formal independence, how well and fair are women in Malaysia being treated, despite the official rhetoric and propaganda? How is gender equality in Malaysia in 2006?

The struggle for gender equality in our country began in 1947 in the form of the campaign for equal pay for work for women. Led initially by the then Malayan Teacher Union (MTU).When the National Union of Teacher (NUT) was formed in 1954, it continued the campaign. Soon other teacher unions and other trade unions like the Malayan Nurses Union joined the campaign, eventually involving the MTU! C and CUEPACS in the 1960s.

In the early 1960s, the momentum for the first for equally pay for women employees in Malaysia gained strength when it was successfully brought to the attention of international professional and trade union organizations like the International Federation of Free Teacher Union and the International Confederation of Free Trade Union.

On 16 June 1964, the Malaysian Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman announced its decision to grant women officers including women teacher the same pay as men. The Government’s announcement was merely the acceptance of the principle of equally pay.

Although the government promised to implement equal pay with effect from 1^st  January, 1965, women throughout the country were again disappointed when the government later announced that it had to be postponed because of Indonesian Confrontation against Malaysia.

The struggle, instead of being dampened, became more vociferous. From 1966 onwards, CUEPACS and MTUC led ! by the initiatives of the NUT and the Nurses’ Union held mass rallies in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of the country for equal pay. The long struggle was alive and kicking.

Workers, particularly women workers, felt let down by the government’s somersault. Resentment was building up. It was widely and intensely felt that the government had once again deceived the workers. The gove! rnment was given an ultimatum; implement equal pay by 31^st August, 1968 or face serious consequences, including nationwide industrial actions including strike action.

It should be remembered that the NUT had in early 1967 sent its members throughout Peninsular Malaysia out on strike, in pursuance of its four main claims of (a) Housing for all teachers, (b) Medical facilities for all teachers, (c) Parity for DTC teachers, and (d) Equal Pay for Equal Work for Women Teachers. A militant example had been set. And the mood among Malaysian workers was one of bitter disappointment and growing anger.

The momentum for action was gathering strength among the workers and the unions. And they had been working hard, though leaflets, newsletters and other forms of campaign literature, and mass rallies to gain public sympathy and support.

From its feedback the government obviously knew the mood of the worke! rs on the Equal Pay issue. And so it was that on the eve of Polling Day on the May 10, 1969 General Elections that Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak announced that women would be granted equal pay. He also announced that after the elections, the government would appoint the first women Cabinet Minister.

However, there was yet another twist to the story of the fight for Equal Pay for Equal Work for Women. The May 13 racial riots took place in Kuala Lumpur, a state of emergency Council (NOC) in control. Parliament was suspended, and the NOC was armed with sweeping emergency powers to rule by decrees and orders. Industrial actions were strictly prohibited. It was under these circumstances that the NOC issued Service Circular Number 5 of 1969, implementing Equal pay for Equal Work for Women that was below expectations.

The struggle for gender equality is more than the question of equal pay, important as that it undoubtedly. With women constituting ha! lf or more of the population, it is only fair that not only the government but Society as a whole should be more gender-sensitive. Significant advances have been made since 1969. More women have been elected to Parliament and more women ministers have been appointed as ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries, for instance. More women in Malaysia hold top corporate positions. More women head government departments.

But much of it is still tokenism or ! just above tokenism; it is not genuine gender equality or parity as yet.

The recent passage of the Islamic Family Act is a timely reminder that many Malaysian women and girls are still being discriminated against in matter relating to marriage, family and inheritance.

Equally serious, females are particularly being terrorized by snatch thieves, rapists and murderers on a daily basis, without the government not the police having a greater sense of urgency and purpose and effectiveness about them in the matter. Two years or more after the Minister for Women and Family Affairs suggested it, no profile of the men who commit violence against women has been constructed! Mere talk and rhetoric. The government itself does not seem to have a dynamic strategy to combat Violence against women in Malaysian society. It merely stumbles from one snatch theft to another, from one rape to another and from one murder to another.

After recent events and royal commissions, it remains to be seen whether the police have become more gender-sensitive.

On this International Women’s Day in 2006, we should be mindful of the fact that although much has been achieved in Malaysia in terms of gender equality, much remains to be done.