By Media Selangor Team
SHAH ALAM, July 17 — Women must have a stronger voice in policymaking if Malaysia is to achieve more inclusive and effective governance, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
In a Facebook post, Amirudin stressed that women’s leadership should no longer be viewed as supplementary but as a core pillar of national development.
“Today, women’s roles in leadership are increasingly recognised as central to good governance,” he said after meeting with the third cohort of the Selangor Women’s Assembly (Sidang Wanita Negeri Selangor, or Siwanis) yesterday.
The event was organised by the Selangor Standing Committee for Women and Family Empowerment through Wanita Berdaya Selangor (WBS), which is chaired by state executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari.
Amirudin cited former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern as an example of how gender is no barrier to capable, empathetic and effective leadership.
Now in its third iteration, Siwanis is part of Selangor’s broader push to build a pipeline of women leaders equipped with the skills and policy literacy to hold public office.
The programme targets 50 per cent female representation in the state assembly.
During yesterday’s meeting, Amirudin reflected on his own political journey and presented letters of appointment to the newly-selected Siwanis Menteri Besar and executive councillors as a symbolic gesture to mark their leadership roles within the programme.
“I hope this programme continues to nurture women leaders in Selangor and provides them with the platform and training needed to participate meaningfully in policy development, whether at the state assembly or in Parliament,” he said.
