Why the hue and cry over a woman MB?

Women are just as capable as men to hold positions of high authority such as the post of Menteri Besar in Selangor.

COMMENT

By Dr Tan Yee Kew

In almost all parliamentary democracies in the world today, it is a norm that the party chief of the ruling party holds also the highest government post.

It is understandable and logically so, in order that the political agenda of the party, its election manifesto and commitments to the people may be realised through government policies.

In Malaysia, there is no exception.

The Umno President is the Prime Minister; the Secretary General of DAP is the Chief Minister of the Penang state government; and Tok Guru Aziz of PAS was the Chief Minister of the Kelantan state government for many years until the last election when he did not contest due to poor health.

Therefore we fail to understand why there was so much disaproval when Dr. Wan Azizah was named to take over the post of Selangor Menteri Besar (MB).

Can one question her intelligence when she is a qualified eye specialist? Can one doubt her leadership when she has been the President of PKR since its inauguration in 1998 and was once an opposition leader in Parliament?

Now an assemblywoman in Selangor, Dr. Wan Azizah fulfills all the requirements of a MB as stipulated in the state constitution.

Are those who oppose her appointment simply discriminating against women, or using the gender issue to camouflage a bigger and more sinister political agenda?

We share the concern of many Selangorians that the administration of the Selangor government under Khalid Ibrahim has not been all that well. Many decisions he made after the last general election went against the principles of Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan) and as a consequence, the people are losing their confidence in the Pakatan government.

If Pakatan decides to arrest the declining support of the state government by having a new captain for the state, we welcome and fully support such a move for the good of Selangorians.

Many women prime ministers and presidents in the world have made remarkable contributions to their countries – Chancellor Merkel has made Germany the most powerful and influential country in Europe; Mrs. Margaret Thatcher saved Britain from an economic recession, Benazir Bhutto helped democratise Pakistan after years of dictatorship; Corazon Aquino of the Philippines who was once scorned by her critics as a “plain housewife”, led the People Power movement, which brought down the Marcos regime and won her the presidency so she could initiate many reforms in her country.

No one should belittle a woman’s ability just because she is someone’s wife. Neither should we doubt a woman’s capability to govern on the grounds that she lacks the experience.

If Dr. Wan Azizah has until now chosen to maintain a low profile and play a supporting role to her husband, it is because of circumstances rather than her lack of interest or ability to shoulder greater responsibility.

Her past ‘passive’ role demonstrates her wisdom, not her weakness. Today she is ready to move to the forefront to assume the role of a MB. And as president of her party, she is indeed the most qualified and most suitable candidate for the post.

We have full confidence in Dr. Wan Azizah to lead Selangor to greater heights, and we call upon all our sisters in Selangor to show our solidarity in defending a woman’s right to be the MB of Selangor.

Let us be proud that we, the women of Selangor, can make history today.

Dr. Tan Yee Kew is the President of the Women Development Organisation of Malaysia (WDOM).