SHAH ALAM, Aug 13 — Only nine of the 56 seats in the Selangor State Legislative Assembly are currently held by women, sort of the 30 per cent representation target, said state executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari.
She proposed introducing Top-Up Women-Only Additional Seats (TWOAS), modelled after Penang’s system, if political parties fail to meet the quota through their candidate selections.
“This proposal is for debate — whether it can be implemented, and whether adding more women’s voices, not just in numbers but in the quality of participation, is relevant and suitable to strengthen democracy.
“If the 30 per cent target cannot be achieved through party nominations, an additional seats mechanism is needed to ensure that the voices of women, families, and children are still heard in the State Legislative Assembly,” Anfaal said.
She noted that political parties field too few women candidates, and even fewer win, further reducing women’s representation.
“If Party A contests 10 seats and only fields three women, and only one wins, it limits the voices representing the Assembly. That is why this requires not only party rule changes but also political will.
“That is why we see it not only as an amendment to party rules, but also as a matter of political will. If this can be done administratively, it can be implemented at the State Legislative Assembly level when there is a majority or the necessary authority,” Anfaal said.
The councillor noted that the change could be achieved in two ways: through party commitment to fielding women in strategic seats, or via amendments to state laws, as done in Penang.
“If political parties do not make this change, the state assembly must implement a legal mechanism, specifically through state enactments, as Penang has begun, but ultimately, party-level reforms are still key,” she said.
Speaking at the closing of the Selangor Women’s Assembly (Siwanis) 2025 yesterday, Anfaal also urged women leaders to stand firm despite facing “double dilemmas”.
“The outside world is not always kind to women leaders. When we are firm, we are labelled hard and aggressive; when we are gentle, we are seen as weak. Siwanis proves that women need not choose between these labels.
"We lead with honesty, integrity, and a focus on results that benefit the people,” she said.
Meanwhile, Speaker Lau Weng San said Siwanis plays a vital role as a platform to bring forward and address women’s issues.
“We must remember that women make up 50 per cent of the population, and it is the responsibility of the government and elected representatives to safeguard their welfare. As an inclusive Assembly, we must work together to make this happen,” he said.
The third edition of Siwanis concluded yesterday, having gathered 56 female delegates from across Selangor and invited representatives from other states. The programme, run in a simulated state assembly format, aims to develop women’s leadership skills, strengthen policy knowledge, and prepare them to become state and national leaders.
