SHAH ALAM - PKR Women Chief Fuziah Salleh said the women 's wing succeeded in rising from betrayal by their own members during the Sheraton Move two years ago.
The Kuantan MP said this can be seen through the success of 138 branches holding Branch Women's Annual General Meeting (MATWC) and eventually forming Branch Women's Committee Members for 2022-2025 term.
"July 2022 marks two years since I elected the women's chief, led a team and initially struggled to rebuild women's wing after the betrayal. Those with me were loyal to me in carrying out such a challenging task," she said at the Wanita PKR National Congress here on Friday.
Fuziah also outlined eight pillars to empower women, including work-life balance, empowering abused women, empowering women as heads of households and in education.
It also included empowering women in the decision-making process, health, and climate change.
Meanwhile, Fuziah, who will be stepping down as the woman leader to make way for Fadhlina Sidek hoped that the party's wing would continue reaching milestones.
Fadhlina during the party's 16th National Congress here said: "We are asking you to give us undivided support as we face the upcoming 15th general election (GE15)."
She advised the new lineup to stand by party goals, that is reforms.
On the motions passed today, Negeri Sembilan representative Noraini Nordin said in order to empower more women in politics, PKR needs women representatives to contest in the general elections.
"It has been stated in the constitution that there is not one allocation that says women could not become the prime minister, the rights is stated under Article 8 (1) which focuses on the equality in laws.
"Meanwhile, Article 8 (2), says there is no discrimination on an individual in regards to their belief, race, background and gender,” she said.
"Looking at the mood of the elections, although the entry fees cost thousands, there are still women who are willing to join politics so it would be better for the new lineup to start giving 50 per cent discount to contest,” she said.
Meanwhile, Selangor representative Wan Saribanon Saibon focused on the motion of empowering women to play a bigger role in climate change. She said, there have been many research from scientists who say the earth is moving towards destruction due to floods, storms and soil erosion.
Therefore, she said PKR as a political party must take the issue seriously and make it a priority in its agenda.
Therefore, she added that the members of the party and the masses must make wise decisions in choosing the leader of the country.
Kelantan representative Mazalina Ibrahim put forward a motion on empowering abused and oppressed women. "Women are seen as weak and during the Covid-19 pandemic, divorce, domestic violence, rape, underage marriage, out of wed-lock birth and sexual harrasment were on the rise,” she said.
Commenting further she said the issue concerning women has long been highlighted and has been raised by party leader Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail when she was the deputy prime minister.
"Why would the Federal Government deliberately delay the tabling of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill when Selangor State Assembly has approved an amendment to the enactment that raises the age limit for women's marriage to 18 years old,” she said.
She added this is a huge accomplishment of Pakatan Harapan (PH) governance in protecting the rights of young adults.