In his budget speech, our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib said this about women:
“Indeed women are special. The Government recognises that women have a pivotal role in national development and in nurturing future generations.”
Despite the recognition, we notice that what women actually receive from the Budget 2015 is rather insignificant.
1) Allocation
The allocation received by Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development for the year 2014 is RM2.2 billion. And in the Budget 2015, the allocation increased by only 2.7% to RM2.26 billion. In contrast, the total budget received by the Prime Minister’s Office has escalated from RM16.45 billion to RM19.06 billion, an increase of 15.9%! For the year 2015, the size of our budget increased from RM264,151 million to RM273,940 million, i.e. an increase of 3.7%. The below average increment received by the Women Ministry speaks for itself. Not to forget that a huge portion of the allocation received by Ministry of Women, Family and Community is for social welfare.
2) NAM Institute for The Empowerment of Women and other empowerment programmes
Before we can be certain as to how much of the allocation will be used for women, the allocation for NAM Institute for The Empowerment of Women (NIEW) has been slashed by 60%, ie from RM8.4 million to RM3.2 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.
3) Child Care Leave
Since 2007, a female civil servant is entitled to 5-year childcare leave during her term of service, which can be used in one time or several times. However, from January 1 next year, the leave is limited to children until they reach one year. In other words, there is no more option for female civil servant to apply for childcare leave for more than a year.
Besides, 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.
Other than that, 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.