KLANG, Dec 22 — Gender bias or discrimination among the second generation is one of the main obstacles in the path of women aspiring to initiate change or assume leadership roles in Malaysia.

Amanah Negara Women’s Wing (Awan) chief Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu said second-generational gender bias is more subtle and is not always intentional, in contrast to outright and intentional discrimination by the first generation.

"The view that ‘women are less qualified to be appointed as leaders’ is still prevalent. So we need to have a better understanding of gender bias to prevent it from being normalised,” she said during her speech at the 2023 Awan National Convention here today.

She said after the 15th general election, there were a mere 39 women representatives in Parliament, comprised of nine senators and 30 members of parliament, which not only failed to achieve the 30 per cent minimum representation target but decreased compared to the previous general election.

Aiman Athirah, who is also local government development deputy minister, said being a leader is not a simple matter, it needs constant training and continuity and women should not just strive for increased numbers but also a higher caliber of leadership.

"We want to provide the best service with standards and knowledge. We no longer churn up sentiment to gain votes but disseminate data and knowledge to drive success.

"By standards we mean quality. We are allied with our women friends from other parties who form the unity government, and being allied enhances quality,” she said.

She said the old-fashioned and outdated view of women’s representation as a token should be buried once and for all, because women are not mere accessories in the political machinery to score votes.

At today’s national convention, 650 delegates will elect 27 new national committee members (2023-2026).

The other positions up for election are Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and two auditors. — Bernama