Latest news with #Women'sAidOrganisation
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Move to boost women hires catching on
KUALA LUMPUR: Government tax incentives aimed at encouraging the hiring of women returning to the workforce and promoting flexible work policies are gaining traction among employers, said TalentCorp chairperson Wong Shu Qi. Wong said although official data has yet to be released, the agency has seen a surge in enquiries from companies keen to take advantage of the incentives. 'Last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced additional 50% tax incentives under Budget 2025 to encourage employers to hire women returning to work, adopt flexible work arrangements and provide paid caregiver leave. 'However, these incentives are in the process of being gazetted before full implementation.' She said to close the gender pay gap, the government is offering a one-year income tax exemption for women re-entering the workforce, part of a broader push to boost female labour participation. Speaking after launching Malaysia's first Women's Empowerment Principles (WEP) Corporate Action Lab yesterday, Wong said the policy would remain in place until 2027 as part of ongoing efforts. 'We will be announcing the full incentive mechanism soon. Once that is in place, more companies will come forward and we will be able to collect clearer data on women returning to work.' Earlier, theSun reported a need for greater salary transparency and stricter enforcement of fair pay to address gender wage disparities. Women's Aid Organisation executive director Nazreen Nizam highlighted that the absence of legislation mandating equal pay for work of equal value has allowed gender wage gaps to persist unchecked across various sectors. She stressed that Malaysia must roll out clear legal frameworks, backed by enforcement and penalties, to ensure pay equity. Wong said narrowing the gender pay gap is not the sole responsibility of any one agency as it also requires active participation from the private sector. 'A wide pay gap not only hampers economic growth but also shifts hidden costs to families. Tax relief policies are a start but they must be part of a broader strategy. 'There is no one-size-fits-all solution but businesses must understand that hiring more women delivers long-term returns. Failing to do so ultimately hurts the economy and individual companies.' She also reaffirmed TalentCorp's commitment to building pathways that empower women to balance careers and caregiving, aligned with the national target of 60% female labour participation. UN Women, LeadWomen and TalentCorp have launched the WEP, which is an initiative to guide companies in adopting gender-responsive strategies and creating more equitable workplaces. 'Malaysia's female labour participation has remained stagnant at around 56%. We have been working with policymakers and partners to push that number forward,' said Wong. Australian High Commission to Malaysia political and economic counsellor Clare Gatehouse said the proportion of women in senior management and board roles dropped from 40.4% in 2023 to 36.5% this year. 'Despite equal or higher levels of education, Malaysian women earn about 80% of what men make in similar roles.' To support change, Australia has worked with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to strengthen Malaysia's care economy, including by developing policies to improve the quality of care services for workers and users. 'Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri believes family-friendly workplaces and a strong care sector are crucial to achieving gender parity. Without focused action, we will not see these numbers improve,' she said.
The Star
08-05-2025
- The Star
Online campaign sheds light on sexual grooming in Malaysia
In a recent Instagram post, Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) brought fresh attention to a deeply troubling issue that continues to plague many societies: sexual grooming. The post, which is part of a social media campaign, was prompted by the tragic death of Korean actress Kim Sae-Ron, 24, whose past relationship with K-pop star Kim Soo-Hyun, 37, is now under renewed scrutiny. Kim was reportedly groomed by Soo-Hyun from the young age of 15 – a disturbing but not uncommon pattern, as WAO reminded Malaysians. Sexual grooming is a method of manipulation that predators use to exploit and abuse minors, often while flying under the radar. It's subtle, calculated, and extremely dangerous – and worse, it is often misunderstood or dismissed altogether. The perpetrator usually tries to gain the trust of the young person and makes them feel special or loved, with the aim of sexually exploiting them later. Grooming is not an act of sudden violence or overt threat. It is, by nature, insidious. Groomers manipulate a child or vulnerable person through emotional control, gaining trust before exploiting them sexually or psychologically. It can be hard to detect because it often appears as affection, mentorship or friendship, says WAO. The process typically follows five stages: target selection (identifying a vulnerable victim); gaining trust (befriending the child or their family); building emotional dependence (making the victim feel special or loved); desensitisation and isolation (introducing inappropriate topics or behaviour and cutting off other influences); exploitation and control (initiating abuse and ensuring silence through fear, guilt or shame). Groomers could be anyone – a family friend, religious leader, teacher or even a potential romantic partner. While global headlines may focus on celebrities, the issue is disturbingly close to home. Malaysia has seen its fair share of cases where the offence was overlooked, even defended, says WAO. Take the case of a Dublin-based child psychiatrist who groomed and abused a teenage girl with mental health struggles, offering her therapy in exchange for sexual access. According to an Irish Times report in December 2024, Amirul Arif Mohd Yunos was sentenced to eight years and six months' jail. But WAO says that despite his conviction, some people stood by him, offering glowing testimonials. "This kind of support contributes to a culture where victims are silenced and abusers shielded," WAO adds. "Equally troubling is the case of Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin, who was convicted in Britain in 2015 for possessing over 30,000 images of child pornography. Because Malaysia's child sex offender registry was only established in 2017, his name was never included. He went on to study and teach – a chilling example of how the system has failed." WAO points to the normalisation of grooming in Malaysian society. "In another instance, a man (bus driver) known online as 'Abang Bas' posted a video on TikTok (in September 2024) about a nine-year-old schoolgirl on his bus, calling her his 'crush' with a heart emoji. Despite the inappropriateness, some netizens defended him – a stark sign of how society trivialises such behaviour," adds WAO. Globally, grooming is also masked as romantic relationships. Hollywood celebrities like Demi Lovato and Henry Cavill have spoken of or been scrutinised for relationships with significant age gaps that began when one partner was a teenager. Lovato has since described these relationships as "gross" and symptomatic of her "daddy issues" – shedding light on how manipulation can be misinterpreted as love. Why groomers prefer the young At the core of grooming is the desire to control, says WAO. "Men like Andrew Tate, a controversial online figure, publicly state their preference for young women ... when what they really mean is these young women are easier to manipulate. The law may say 18 is the legal age, but the line is often pushed further back through grooming." "The idea of young girls being pure and naive is used as a justification for men to prey on them. The problem isn't just with individual predators. Often, it's with the systems and social attitudes that protect them," cautions WAO. "This is a form of gender-based violence," it says. "Don't be afraid to speak up. And know that it's never the victim's fault." WAO urges anyone who suspects grooming to contact their hotline to seek support. More info: (WAO website) or @womensaidorg (Instagram)
New Straits Times
02-05-2025
- New Straits Times
NGOs call for stronger survivor-centric support for domestic abuse victims
In this final part of a series on domestic violence, NAJIHAH BORHAN speaks to organisations helping survivors and the brother of a victim of domestic violence KUALA LUMPUR: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) want the government to strengthen survivor-centric responses across the board to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse receive consistent protection and support. Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) advocacy officer Tamyra Selvarajan said existing frameworks were still inadequate to effectively address and assist survivors of domestic violence and intimate partner violence (IPV). She said Malaysian laws must also be more comprehensive in addressing the full spectrum of abuse, including emotional, psychological and sexual abuse within marriages. Citing Section 375 of the Penal Code on rape, she said any man who is legally married to a woman and forces sexual intercourse on her is not by law considered to have raped her. "Implementing (a change in) legislation (to make rape an offence in marriage would) reinforces the idea that the survivor is never at fault and that all forms of abuse should be taken seriously," she said. Section 375 of the Penal Code defines rape as a man having sexual intercourse with a woman against her will or without her consent, but does not include wives. The code, however, does offer some protection to wives as Section 375A makes it an offence for a husband to hurt or cause his wife to fear death in order to have sexual intercourse. However, Tamyra said abuse affected not only married couples but also intimate partners, referring to both current and former spouses and dating partners where abuse or aggression occurred in a romantic relationship. "The Domestic Violence Act does protect women who are abused by their married partners, as well as protection within families. "However, the Act does not encompass those who are victims of IPV, which impacts unmarried couples. (This is) why it needs to be included in the existing Act," she said. Tamyra said while there were other laws that offered some protection to unmarried individuals facing abuse, these measures were not sufficient. She added that sometimes the justice system failed survivors, with some police reports resulting in cases being classified as "No Further Action" (NFA). When this happens, WAO works with survivors to explore other options, including legal avenues to obtain interim protection orders or appealing case classifications to the authorities. "However, it is not just the responsibility of NGOs like WAO to support survivors of violence. There must be strengthened survivor-centric responses across the entire justice system to ensure we do right by survivors," said Tamyra. She also highlighted inconsistencies in the way support services were implemented, citing WAO's experience in managing cases and findings from a 2025 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report. According to the report, a lack of clarity and inconsistent application of standard operating procedures (SOPs) at one-stop crisis centres in hospitals severely hampers survivors' access to crucial services. "So, the SOPs exist, but whether they are adhered to and how they are implemented in each hospital varies. "This can have a serious detrimental impact on survivors who, in times of crisis, require predictability and consistency in accessing such services." A WAO survey found that about a third of Malaysians still blame women for the violence they experience. Tamyra also pointed out the urgent need for additional support systems for survivors, such as more safe spaces, shelters and socioeconomic empowerment initiatives. While WAO operates a shelter that provides holistic support and empowerment to survivors, she stressed that it should not be left solely to NGOs to provide such services. "For example, WAO has a shelter that provides support and empowerment to survivors. Existing governmental services should also be improved to accommodate survivors better. "Shelters that are established by (the Social Welfare Department) often do not provide adequate support for survivors of domestic violence and IPV. "Not only that, but there is also a lack of support for survivors of IPV and marital rape. There needs to be improved support for survivors." Ooi Say Tee, the manager of the Women's Service Centre — a smart partnership between Women's Centre for Change and the Penang government — said victims of domestic abuse not only suffered immediate threats to their safety, but also endured long-term trauma and systemic gaps in protection. "In the short term, victims of domestic abuse often face immediate threats to their safety, such as having no safe place to stay, sustaining injuries, experiencing fear and being in life-threatening situations. "In the long term, the impact can be even more devastating, including mental health issues like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, as well as the continued lack of a safe home," she said. Commenting on existing laws, Ooi said current punishments for domestic abuse offences remained inadequate. She said under Section 323 of the Penal Code, whoever voluntarily causes hurt would be punished with imprisonment for up to a year, or a fine of up to RM2,000, or both. Section 323 applies to those who intentionally cause harm to another person, but does not necessarily involve the use of weapons or the causing of grievous hurt. "The punishment is very light and does not reflect the severity of the harm caused by domestic violence. "Because of this, some victims may choose not to pursue the case in court because of the hassle they have to go through and yet the punishment is not comparable to the impact they have suffered," said Ooi.
