KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Women chief Datuk Seri Doris Sophia Brodie hopes Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will field more women candidates in the coming Sarawak election.
She said Sarawak has no shortage of competent, experienced and academically qualified women, including within PRS, who are capable of taking on political leadership roles.
However, she stressed that increasing women’s representation ultimately depends on the willingness of party leaders to provide them with opportunities.
“I don’t see why not. After all, women constitute almost half of the electorate in Sarawak, as they do in Malaysia as a whole.
“Ultimately, I believe it boils down to the political will of the party leadership including GPS leadership to take that bold step and make a real difference in transforming the political landscape in Sarawak, particularly in terms of women’s representations,” she said.
Doris said this when contacted for her views on women’s representation in Sarawak politics ahead of the coming state election.
Referring to the 2021 Sarawak election, she said only 45 of the 349 candidates fielded by 13 political parties were women, accounting for just 12.9 per cent.
She said greater female participation would allow women’s experiences and concerns, particularly those affecting households, to be better represented in politics.
“Many are willing and ready to contribute, take on leadership responsibilities and even serve as election candidates.
“The real challenge, however, is the lack of meaningful opportunities and an enabling environment for them to advance,” she added.
Doris said limited leadership opportunities and unequal representation could discourage capable women from joining political parties or pursuing public service.
She stressed that political parties must recognise women’s capabilities and provide them with genuine opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities.
“Our challenge, therefore, is not simply to prepare women but to create genuine opportunities, recognise their capabilities and give them a fair chance to lead,” she said.
