But what most disappoints me is again the small numbers of women in this Cabinet. And of the ones that are there, there isn't anyone nor anything new. Dato Ng Yen Yen has gone to Tourism, where she was Deputy before. Dato Shahrizat is back at Women, Family and Community Development. Although I must say this was a disingenuous statement from her:
“I never expected to be back in the ministry I used to lead. I feel very honoured and glad that I’ve been given the trust and faith to be in charge of the ministry I feel strongly for,” said an elated Shahrizat.
Um...what other Ministry was she hoping for? I don't think she's ever imagined herself at any other Ministry. Well, at the very least I hope that all that segregation of women's issues into Muslim and Non-Muslim issues when Shahrizat was Special Adviser on Women's Affairs and Yen Yen was Minister for Women will end. There should not be two classes of women in this country.
This was also another silly statement:
She (Shahrizat) said she was grateful to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for realising the importance of women in the government.
Chew said she was happy with the increased participation of women in decision-making.
“We did not expect to have more women. This is very good,” said Chew adding that she was grateful to Najib for giving her a chance.
First of all, we now have only two women Ministers instead of three as in the previous administration. So we're down one (not that I much regret Azalina going!). That makes about 7% of the Cabinet. Then among the Deputy Ministers, there are only eight women Deputy Ministers out of 40 (including that useless 2-for-1 package, Mashitah). That makes it about 20%.
This means we are still far short of the target of ensuring that at least 30% of places in decisionmaking bodies are made up of women as Malaysia has agreed to after signing the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). This is the FIRST thing that both Shahrizat and her Deputy Chew Mei Fun should have noticed. So, none of this gratitude business, thank you very much!
What's more, how come the only woman on the UMNO Supreme Council, Datuk Dr Norraesah Mohamad got no position at all? She has experience in the government service and in the private sector and is very capable. Being the only woman on the Supreme Council is tough; it would have helped boost her if she'd been given a government position. After all, she did better than Deputy Ministers Husni Hanadzlah and Awang Adek Hussin and Minister Shabery Cheek.
What's more at least four of these women had to be made Senators before they could become Ministers or Deputy Ministers. Which just goes to show the dearth of talent among women politicians. Simply not much to choose from.
And just to show how respected women politicians are in this country, just read this insulting report on one of them here. Would they have written any such thing about male politicians?
But I think what's most disappointing is the lack of innovation and creativity in this Cabinet. My fellow blogger Shaik Rizal had some very interesting ideas for the composition of the Cabinet. That is the sort of thinking we really need in the Government today. For instance, why not call the Women's Ministry the Gender Empowerment or Gender Equality Ministry which is what it is called in many countries? That focuses the work more easily. Some people have even suggested why not have a man head that Ministry? It's an interesting idea though I can't think of a man I truly trust enough to do that.
Instead we have the women kept to the 'soft' Ministries for the most part. Much as I thought Rafidah had no clue about women, she was a good Minister of Trade and Industry, the AP issue notwithstanding. Why not give that responsibility to another woman? Or the environment or whatever?
Anyway, now they are supposed to have Key Performance Indices for each Ministry. I suppose this is a good thing. My only hope is that they get more scientific before they set out policies, by really talking to people, consulting those who actually know what they are talking about and really thinking things out before they decide on a policy. Please let's have no more badly-thought out policies which then need to be reversed after public outcry. And I hope that the KPIs also have a gender perspective incorporated in them, that is, their impact on women must also be considered.
24 comments:
Yes - what's new Marina? Especially our local politicians'spontaneous responses to questions! The excitement of winning or losing often makes it worse!
Very few leaders are like Rais Yatim who thinks first before he answers and articulates his thoughts in the best possible way. Most public personalities blurt the first thing on their minds and say it in the most casual way - which is usually a translation of colloquial speech in their mother tongue!
One of the key measurements in the KPI must surely be articulation of and discourse on the Ministry's policies and projects, the Minister's handling of the media etc.
Yes - I wondered about Noraeshah!
thank you!
I forgot to add - the downside is that wise people like Rais Yatim are perceived as boring and slow by the young who prefer brisk, gushing speech which camouflages the speaker's lack of substance!
Political rhetoric and discourse is a very special area in Applied Linguistics which all politicians especially Ministers, MPs and ADUNs should be assessed on.
As ninitalk laments " If youth but knew, if age could but do"!.
What's your comments on Mukhriz ? Let's take this angle - the winner loses, the loser wins.
How do you determine KPIs for these guys when most of them don't even know what their duties are as MPs, Politicians or Ministers? Can we all be told what the KPI measures are?
By right political considerations shuld not have been the main factor determining who becomes a Minister or a Deputy. However, when Mukhriz is picked as a deputy and the Deputy UMNO Youth guy is also given a deputy Minister's position and Khairy nothing, political considerations and bias is readily seen.
Obviously, not just I, but many, have suggested the hand of Mahathir in this. What more, Mukhriz being made deputy in MITI, the department that dishes out APs. Who now gets APs is going to certainly be monitored closely. Marina, I hope the only car business you are involved in is driving one!!!
I think Najib lost the opportunity to be his own man. If he had wanted to he could have jsut ignored all the various pressures that must have been thrust upon him and gone about this business on his own and picked the people on just pure merit.
OF, everyone's favourite theory these days is that my Dad pressured Najib into taking Mukhriz and whoever else. OK, let's take it the other way round. What would a completely independent Najib Cabinet look like? I am truly interested to know exactly who would be in it.
I reckon everybody has political considerations when they pick the Cabinet. That's the way it works, whether BN or PR.We don't have the American system where they can pick people completely outside politics if they want.I might have had a chance at being Health or Gender Minister otherwise. Oh wait, I'm a Mahathir too...dang!
I think people make too much of Mukhriz being in there personally. Deputy Ministers have very little power at all from what I can see.(And I'm pitifully uninterested in cars...ask my hubby.)
And Najib can't win. If he puts KJ in, everyone will still jump on him for keeping someone who was found guilty of corruption in the UMNO elections.
He could however have dumped Noh Omar and Johari Baharum though. Dad is certainly NOT keen on dear old Jo. But he's there. And Ismail Sabri, Shaziman and Shabery. So yeah, guess he had plenty to do with this.
No I don't think this Cabinet is great. Until I see one that's 50% women, I am not impressed.
Oh, my response to Zainal didn't go through! Sorry!
Zainal, I wanted to say that, to be pedantic, the Cabinet comprises only of FULL Ministers, not Deputies. So Mukhriz being Deputy MITI isn't anything to get excited about really. Good place to learn though, especially under Tok Pa.
Secondly, ya, I guess KJ or Khir Toyo should have been made Ministers....that would go down well..:-)
And thirdly, if Mukhriz sucks at his job, I will certainly let him know...
old fart, it must be very hard to please you. frankly, I think people should be concerned at the effectiveness of this new cabinet than who is in or out of cabinet. yes perhaps the choice is important but most people expected najib to creatively revamp the entire outlook of the cabinet. but we still have hope because the promise is if the candidate does not perform, then by the KPI rule, they will be shipped out.
tell me, would you have prefered to see KJ in the cabinet? If your answer is yes then I guess you must be a strong supporter of the opposition who believes in BN's self destruction!
it's a no win situation... damned if you do and damned if you don't!
cowboymalaysia
What's the difference between a circus and the front-line of the new (Wooden) Cabinet?
A circus has a cunning array of stunts......
That's the sad state of affairs in our beloved land when we don't practice Meritocracy and instead cobble together a Cabinet as a political compromise!
But even then, what's the rationale for our Man from Kermit with his 'Yes Sir, No Sir, 3 bags full of KPI's Sir!' The People don't want you and you can still get in through the back-door?
I'm afraid Najib had 1 chance to firmly establish his authority and blew it. And with it will go UMNO Baru/MCA/MIC/PPP & Gerakan as mere foot-notes in our history books!
Were it the younger Mahathir instead of Najib, he would have confounded conventional wisdom and tamed the World!
http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com (Sob! With onion in handkerchief!)Lol.
MM,
awak ni komplen banyak tapi
tak mau turun padang.
yy
Hello MM,
I'm a new reader to your pages, having started with your dad's a few weeks earlier.
Just thought I'd leave a comment about your brother's appointment. While I agree that a deputy might not have the biggest voice in the room, but any person (I would like to think) can make himself heard. Assuming, of course, he has something constructive and valid to offer. That's why I'm optimistic about Mukhriz. I've never been able to see him merely as Tun's microphone. Based on my meagre observations of Mukhriz in action, I regard him highly as a statesman. He stood his ground against Khir & KJ on 'Hujah'. It definitely helps that his father happens to be one the greatest people ever to be born in Asia, but I hope to high heaven that his siblings 'have his back'. With that kind of support, Mukhriz can't go wrong. I hope (and optimistically expect) to see him handed a weightier portfolio in the Cabinet. I think Malaysia will be better for it. Thanks for the time, and sorry this maiden entry was so long.
nadzirjamal.
P/S Did you see Lat's cartoon in the NST today? Hilarious!
PP/S My mom asked to send her regards. Her name's Kartini Illias. If you don't know her, this is embarassing :p
Dear Marina,
Inevitably Malaysia has to go nuclear for power production in about 15 to 20 years. I have set up a new blog to discuss this. please see: http://anuclearmalaysia.blogspot.com/
Thanks AMO
Honestly, I don't give a toss about who's in or who's out. But perception does interfere with the effectiveness of the person holding a position. I really don't know any one of these people anyway and neither do I keep a score card.
I have no problems with Mukhriz. On his own he is certainly far more acceptable than Khairy. But his appointment gets tainted through no fault of his.
Khairy being left out of any positions in government, but the deputy Youth chief in, only makes Mukhriz's work cut out for him. Also he is going to become target within UMNO Youth itself as well as everyone of us out here.
Unfair, you might say, but that is it. That is how the dice has been thrown. But once again..what about some other Ministry for heaven's sake? Miti and APs are just too discomforting especially after so much has been said by Mahathir. What's worse he seems to even suggest that Mukhriz should look into where APs go to or got to! I wish he had said that Mukhriz should look into abolishing it altogether instead.
Whether true or not there will continue to be this believe that Mahathir had a hand in the make up of this cabinet.
With Najib's perceived reputation and this seeming fear of him he could have made a strong statement by including even those who might bave been Badawi's men/women but who were good and deserving. Maybe I am wishful, but really only a strong leader would have the gumption to keep politics out of the selection process and include in his cabinet people who can do the work. Like what they do in the US and in Singapore.
Badawi's failure in this was including people who have been seen to be warlords and so on. Maybe I might be wrong, but I think Najib needn't have submitted to such pressures if there were any. In any case this cabinet is, for the first time, going to be made up of so many who lost in the General Elections and are now made senators in order to fill up these seats. I just hope that Najib sees in these people a measure that represents their professional capabilities rather than a political compromise. Or maybe this is setting a precedence for bringing into the cabinet qualified and capable individuals who just don't have what it takes to be politicians without having to give in to political considerations.
Who knows we may in future have people in cabinet who may not even have voted or registered to vote and yet they are part of the cabinet.
(Marina, you may have noted that I use the name of Mahathir, instead of "your dad". This is just to avoid anything said that might sound to be disparaging of him.....and referring to him as a third person, I think, is somehow better. No offence to you intended. As you can see, this is rather dicey when I hope I am in "friendly territory")
Malaysian Nuclear Energy said "Inevitably Malaysia has to go nuclear for power production in about 15 to 20 years."
This is yet again another of those crappular statements like 'Thalidomide is fine' or 'Asbestos is 100% safe' until we get 3-headed still-born babies and young people die of cancer before they reach 21!
There is nothing inevitable about going nuclear and we don't need 12 new dams in Sarawak when Bakun has excess capacity to serve mainland M'sia for the nect 50 years (that's was Dr.M said the massive Bakun was being built for, wasn't it?).
We seem to buy whatever the West proposes, even when disposal of nuclear waste and safety factors are still being debated there in the wake fo Sellafield, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl disasters.
When 'nuclear' goes wrong, it's not just the neighbouthood, it's the whole damn country, FOREVER AND A DAY!! And we will continue to buy all these rejected western technology like Incinerators and obsolete submarines and fighter jets at the risk of bankrupting our national coffers
Nature has provided us with Sun, Wind and Water (wave) power which we deign to explore fully unlike say Germany & France.
My gut feel is that with the oil crisis only in temporary abatement, it is nature and clean energy that will be our saviour, in the same way that solar and electri cars will play their part in taming Global temperature and pollution increases and resultant ozone layer depletion.
We here spend nothing on R&D in M'sia but are so keen to import dubious Western technology without looking at alternative solutions.
A simple point in case is that if Tenaga and all these privatised Water Cos were to implement measures to reduce commercial and public wastage and run regular campaigns to get people to cut down on unnecessar consumption (like leaving on kitchen lights and the aircon the whole day), this alone will release hundreds of millions of $ for R&D.
But no, the powers that be will always find it easier to take the soft option, Spin doctor about it, hoodwink the public and invite obvilion to our door-step!
http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com
Nazir, yes I know your Mum, bien sur!
OF, no worries :-)
Pah Nur, yep, Zeti or a few women I can think of. I already talked about dismantling the gender and age divisions in UMNO in an earlier post.
Yes, Zeti can be the Finance Minister without even becoming a member of any political party. There are others too of that calibre out there but who will never become a member of any political party. Do we all have to wait for the day when we have another PM of stature and confidence who will do something like that?
Hikayat Mamak Bendahara, I can only vouch for Dad not liking Jo Baharum for obvious reasons. As for the rest, I don't think he spends too much time thinking about them ;-)
Dear Marina,
I had the chance to sit in a Dr Norraesah's talk once (I think one and a half year ago) and I was really impressed. She was like Rafidah in strength but at the same time like your mother in femininity.
Inspiring is a word that could be used here.
Yes, at two women Minister, talk about increase participation is at best an "in your face" joke.
Alas, that's politics.
Hi Marina,
With regards to the equality of women participation in certain ministries, perhaps, we can consider to include them in the Federal Constituency so as to ensure that it does not become a repeated issue year after year.
Likewise some other countries (of which I do not want to name them due to sensitivity), gender bias in our country is still very much at a tolerant level, I suppose. Nevertheless, it's true that women should be given the opportunity to lead some important ministries if 'they' are able, capable, have potential, charismatic and etc.
:-) Needless to say but good luck to The New Cabinet, it's too early to know how the KPI should work for OR against each ministry. I shall; like many of the 'rakyat' to follow it closely.
Hi MM,
I think we should do some quotum leap here.What is wrong in appointing the second deputy Prime minister from the fairer sex.It does not matter which party or creed she belongs to so long as she can deliver.Don't propose Shahrizat she has no desire to hold any other higher position.She is a simple and nice cee niceee person.By the way you have all the qualities how come you have not decided to take up active politics.The women in this country need people like you to take up the lead.If I am the PM I will nominate you as senator and put you incharge of the home affairs ministry since Hisham is a little shy.
I'm with Nostradamus. I firmly believe that this nation is ready for Marina Mahathir as one of it's leaders (the obvious question is: is she ready for it?). What are you waiting for?! A nationwide petition? If that's what it takes, bisa diatur :) Thanks.
Nadzir.
Dear MM,
Understand u r not interested in cars(AP) other than your hubby maybe u can offer to your commentators hehehe just a suggestions which guess everyone would welcome this idea??? :P'''' So when can we meet Mukhriz?
Just kidding, well i've been browsing through your blog it has been the most easy going and less racist remarks involved guess you are really at the front of modern society. Or did u silence them? : )
Just commented on Tun's blog, well full of angry statements there about race and rights, much tension especially the latest article. Need to start posting on your blog to revitalise myself. Hope your blog will go easy on me : ).
Is great that you will remain in the forefront of NGOs as politics is quite depressing sometimes, looking at your writing here makes me feels green.
Will write more soon. And congrats to your bro on his new appointment and to Tun as he is a happier man nowadays, glad to see him on the front page news again. If possible pls do send my regards from "the poor malaysian".
Happy ranting...
-the poor malaysian-
So happy to learn that the Khir Toyol fler was down and out of the race for the Umno Youth Chief post.
BN must thank UMNO Youth members for not electing this controversial and reprehensible politician to lead Umno Youth. It might be disastrous for the BN and the nation if this crooked man was elected to that key post.
This moron Khir Toyol fler has said that BN will now exploit the issue of the return of Elizabeth Wong.
Wonder why he is only interested in a woman's private affairs? Why can't he get involved in more important social things than exploiting a woman's private affairs? Why he is immuned from investigation by MACC? What kind of Muslim and politican is this Khir Toyol fler??
Please, Najib, the new PM of Malaysia, do something quick to prevent this mad fler from destroying UMNO and BN.
Maybe in the next cabinet reshuffle, PM can put Mr. Khairy Jamaludin as Minsiter of Women, Family and Community Development.
That is empowerment.
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