Kuala lumpur: DAP is committed to fielding at least 30 per cent women candidates in the 16th General Election (GE16), in line with the party's efforts to strengthen gender equality and women's participation in politics. Secretary-General Anthony Loke said the women's empowerment agenda must be pushed to the forefront of the party and not left solely to the Wanita wing. He emphasised that it is a collective responsibility that all leaders, men included, must embrace.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Loke stated at the 2023 National Congress that the party is confident of reaching the target of 30 per cent women candidates. "We must continue with our progressive policies, actions, and initiatives," he said while officiating the DAP National Wanita Congress 2026 today.

Meanwhile, at the same congress, DAP Wanita Chief Teo Nie Ching proposed setting up an incentive fund for female political representatives to encourage greater participation in national politics. She said the proposal includes one-off campaign financing and annual allocations to political parties based on the number and percentage of women representatives who win seats.

Teo also suggested that, in the long term, DAP's Central Executive Committee urge the government to table a gender parity bill. She described such drastic measures as necessary, given that the percentage of women in Parliament remains low at just 13.51 per cent in GE15, down from 14.86 per cent in 2018. "How much longer must we wait before we see women Members of Parliament in Malaysia reach at least 30 per cent?" she asked.