New ray of hope ?

At the normal rate of Govt implementation, this might not happen in
my career-life-time, whatever year left for me now, but it might
happen for the next generation of Malaysian woman workforce.
But then again, the Govt might have learn from us to fast-track
implementation the "MyEmployer" Way. Imagine ... P4k L4h said to Naj1b ...
implement in one month time !
I never be "happier" to hear the one-month instruction.

~~~~~~~~

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=276949

KUALA LUMPUR, August 2 (Bernama) -- Women should be given flexibility in employment so that they can focus their attention on their families, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Thursday.

The deputy prime minister said the public and private sectors should look into providing flexibility for their women employees to stop working temporarily to fulfil their family responsibilities.

"Flexibility should be given for women employees to leave their service temporarily, for example, when they have just delivered their babies, and when the babies are older, they can re-join the service and continue with their careers.

"I find that many women want to quit their job temporarily to take care of their families but at the same time they don't want to totally leave their jobs either in the government or private sector," he told reporters after opening the Women's Summit 2007 here.

Najib said that giving them such flexibility would prevent an exodus of female workers from the employment sector to fulfil their family obligations.

He said the Public Service Department (PSD) would be asked to study the proposal before it is submitted to the Cabinet.

"I am not saying this as a decision ... but something which has to be studied in-depth and will be considered when the time comes," he added.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who was also president, when asked for comment, said all parties should view the matter seriously if they do not want to lose their workforce.

"I urge all companies to look at the issue more seriously because it is not only a women issue but a business issue...work, life balance is a business issue," she added.

She said companies which already had family-friendly policies had balance and studies showed that their productivity and profits were higher.

Shahrizat said it had become a world trend to have a policy which provide such flexibility to ensure optimum use of the workforce.

"So in Malaysia, we have no choice. As I said, both the government and the private sector must make preparations, its very important," she said adding that almost 36 per cent of the country's workforce were women.

The 2007 Women Summit, organised by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, is the fifth to be held. This year's theme is "Putting Women at the Heart of Development".

More than 2,000 participants attended the summit, which among others, seeks to find a balance between career and family towards formulating a public policy that is conducive and supports the paradigm shift on issues relating to women at work.

-- BERNAMA