Sabah Puteri Umno chief calls for 30% women candidates in elections

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 — A Sabah Puteri Umno delegate has called for women to constitute at least 30% of candidates in upcoming elections, citing that women voters outnumber men.

"Women voters outnumber men, aren't we ideal election candidates?" the delegate asked during the Umno annual general meeting.

The proposal was made by the Sabah Puteri Umno chief, whose name was not specified in the initial report.

The call highlights ongoing discussions about gender representation within Malaysia's political parties.

Umno, a major component of Malaysia's ruling coalition, is holding its AGM to set policies and strategies.

Increasing women's political participation has been a recurring theme in Malaysian politics.

Previous efforts have included quotas and training programs for female candidates.

The 30% target aligns with global benchmarks for gender parity in governance.

Analysts note that while progress has been made, women remain underrepresented in elected offices.

The party's response to this proposal will be monitored as election preparations advance.