Kuala lumpur: Women's participation in national politics must be strengthened through more comprehensive and structured reforms to ensure fairer and more balanced representation, said Wanita UMNO chief Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad. The Plantation and Commodities Minister highlighted that women's involvement in politics remains low and does not reflect their true capabilities, despite their significant achievements in education and the economy.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Noraini pointed out that while women make up more than 60 percent of university enrolment and the female labour force participation rate reaches 56.6 percent, their representation in the Dewan Rakyat is still only around 13.5 percent. This disparity, she argued, illustrates a significant gap between women's successes in other sectors and their representation in political decision-making.

Noraini emphasized that the lack of women's voices in politics affects not only women themselves but also the quality of public policy, which should be more inclusive and comprehensive. To address this, she proposed several measures, including the introduction of quota mechanisms or incentives within the electoral system, improvements to political party nomination structures, and more systematic development of women leaders.

Furthermore, Noraini stressed that societal attitudes towards women leaders must improve to ensure more women are given opportunities to take on leadership roles in shaping the nation's direction. She asserted that increased women's participation will not occur naturally without clear, structured, and sustained policy intervention.

The Voices of HER Forum, where Noraini delivered her speech, was themed 'Women in Politics: Leadership, Representation and Reality'. The event brought together local and international figures to discuss challenges and strategies to strengthen women's roles in the political landscape.