Christina Liew
KOTA KINABALU: The State Government has consistently promoted qualified and capable women civil servants to key roles in the State Administration as equal partners in development.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said gone are the days when there was blatant gender discrimination where married women were given temporary appointments in the State Civil Service, particularly in the 1970s.
“Today, women are no longer marginalised in the civil service. On the contrary, deserving ones are accorded due recognition by being appointed to important positions in the State Government.
“Rarely do we have three women serving as permanent secretaries in the respective state ministries at one time, and this meets the 30pc target for women’s involvement in the decision-making process.
“This exercise, among other moves, reflects gender equity on the part of the State Government. Under the stewardship of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, we have a gender-friendly government. It also demonstrates the Government’s growing acceptance of the significant role of women and their abilities, alongside their male counterparts,” she said in her National Women’s Day message today.
The trio are Josie Lai Mei Sing (Permanent Secretary to the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry), Maria Chong (Permanent Secretary to the Community Development and Wellbeing Ministry), and Datuk Norlijah Danin (Permanent Secretary to the Rural Development Ministry).
(Women reached a milestone in 1987 when Datuk Chin Kui Bee became the first woman civil servant to be appointed as Permanent Secretary, assigned to the then Social Services Ministry).
Citing two other examples of competent women being given the opportunity to hold senior positions, Liew, who is also Api-Api Assemblywoman, said statistics show that currently, there are seven women deputy permanent secretaries (surpassing the 30pc target), and of the total number of 44 heads of department, 11 are women (again exceeding the 30pc target).
“At the rate we are going, we are confident of having yet another woman deputy state secretary in the near future based on seniority, experience and work performance,” added the Minister.
(Datuk Noni Said was appointed as the first woman Deputy State Secretary in 2005, followed by Datuk Maznah Ghani, Datuk Asnimar Sukardi and Datuk Mariam Omar Matusin).
Other prominent women in the Sabah Civil Service include State Treasurer Datuk Mary Sipaun and Director of the State Economic Planning Unit (EPU) Datuk Jasmine Teo.
In 1995, Malaysia made a commitment at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China to achieve a 30pc target for women’s participation in decision-making in the public sector by 2000.
And in 2004, the Federal Government formed the Cabinet Committee on Gender Equality to promote gender equality and women empowerment.The same year, the Government introduced the policy of having 30pc women’s participation in the decision-making process in the public sector.
Liew also reminded women civil servants about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar’s call for good governance, increased productivity, improved efficiency, and upholding of service integrity.
