KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — Granting mothers in the civil service up to 98 days of maternity leave per birth acknowledges the delicate balancing act they face as they juggle work duties, postpartum recovery, and the demands of caring for a newborn.
Universiti Utara Malaysia, Centre for Applied Psychology, Policy and Social Work Studies senior lecturer associate professor Dr Rajwani Md Zain said the longer leave period gives mothers precious room to adapt to the major changes in life after childbirth.
From a child welfare perspective, she said, time spent with the mother in the early stages of life is crucial for building a close bond and understanding the baby's needs more effectively.
She added that raising the maternity leave entitlement across an officer's years of service to 490 days also gives female civil servants greater flexibility to use the facility for subsequent births, subject to regulations.
Commenting on the RM20 million allocation to upgrade childcare centres at government facilities, Rajwani said these facilities must provide a safe, quality environment that is easily accessible and run by trained caregivers.
"Such facilities help ease parents' worries about their children's safety while they are at work, especially given the social issues we see today, such as abuse or accidents," she said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Faculty of Business, Economics and Accounting senior lecturer, associate professor Dr Janice Nga, said the move is a welcome development, though she voiced concern that it may sway employers' decisions when hiring women.
On a separate note, Janice, who also heads the Economic Planning and Development Cluster at UMS Centre for Economic Development and Policy, said investment in AI-related skills training must be given attention to help persons with disabilities achieve independence and avoid being left behind in technological progress.
