A women’s NGO has lamented that only a few women candidates were nominated in the 17th Sabah state election, with men making up nearly 90% of those vying for the 73 seats up for grabs.
GAP Malaysia said the 71 women contesting in the state polls were a stark contrast to the 525 male candidates taking part.
It nonetheless acknowledged that this was an improvement from the 43 women out of a total of 447 candidates fielded in the 2020 state polls, or just 9.6%.
Nonetheless, it said this showcased a clear disparity in women representation in politics and called for a reevaluation of efforts to empower women in politics, particularly in Sabah.
The group said fielding women candidates must become a strategic priority for political parties rather than a cosmetic or complementary initiative.
It urged Sabahans to vote for women at the polls to ensure their voice is represented at the negotiation table, allowing for more inclusive policies to be enacted in Sabah.
“Women are not just participative symbols but policy-makers, community leaders and the spark needed for change. Sabah needs more women in the state assembly to ensure the state’s development is in line with the demands of current realities,” it said in a statement.
There are more independent candidates, 74, than there are women taking part in the Nov 29 Sabah election.
A total of 596 candidates are contesting, with multi-cornered fights taking place in all 73 seats.
