Female guides: We have to share room with guys

The Star News

Sunday March 8, 2009
Female guides: We have to share room with guys

KUALA LUMPUR: Some tour operators and hoteliers are continuing to disregard a warning issued by the Tourism Ministry in 2006 against forcing women tourist guides to share bedrooms with male guides.

As a result, women tourist guides had no choice but to fork out their own money for accommodation, said Malaysian Women Tourist Guide Association (MWTGA) president Erina Loo Siew Ming yesterday.

“Otherwise, they wouldn’t give us any assignments and we will end up losing our jobs,” she said at a press conference held in conjunction with the association’s third annual general assembly and International Women’s Day at the Malaysia Tourism Centre yesterday.

“Even though the ministry had formally issued a warning to all tour operators in 2006, they continue to ask us to share rooms with our male colleagues because they don’t want to incur extra costs,” said Loo, adding that their counterparts in Vietnam and China faced no such problem.

“We need to ask ourselves if Malaysia, as a civilised society, would want to continue condoning such a practice or do something about it,” said Wanita MCA chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

“The practice of room-sharing between genders clearly discriminates against women tour guides in terms of equal job opportunity and equal pay as their net income is less than that of their male colleagues,” said Chew, who is also MWGTA honorary adviser.

She added that the practice also posed a threat to their personal safety, making such women more vulnerable to sexual harassment, or rape.

Women’s Aid Organisation president Meera Samanther said the practice violated the Federal Constitution as Article 8(2) states that no one should be discriminated on the basis of gender.

All Women’s Action Society public education, events and advocacy manager Betty Yeoh said that such practices should change with time, adding that tour operators and hoteliers should not use the fact that “this had been the practice for so long” as an excuse any more.

International Women's Day Message

International Women’s Day Message
by Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, National Chief of MCA Wanita

This year’s IWD theme for the United Nations: Women and Men united to end Violence against Women and girls is very timely amid global economic crisis as women suffer double insecurities during economic crisis both at work and at home. At work, women are vulnerable in terms of job security, discrimination at work (pregnancy and maternity) and poor working conditions especially in times of financial crisis whilst at home, women are susceptible to violence or even escalated violence where they are expected to cope with mounting pressure from their own job insecurities and that of their male partners’. This theme would be only be meaningful with the support of men in combating violence against women.

There appears to be an alarming trend of economic crisis and rising domestic violence (DV). This is not only visible in other countries such as America where women are 3 times more likely to be abused with male partners who experienced 2 or more periods of unemployment over period of 5 years (2004 study by National Institute of Justice, Jewish Chronicle, 29 Oct 2008) and Australia with a 7 percent increase in the issuance of Apprehended Violence Orders in 2008 from 2005 (The Herald, 29 Jan 2009) but also apparent in Malaysia post 1997 financial crisis when there was a recorded sharp increase in reported DV cases to the police with close to 6,000 cases in 1997 from over 2000 in 1996 and an average of 500 in the 1980s (Ministry of Health Report: Family Violence 1999; Statistics on Women, Family and Social Welfare 2004 and 2006).

The economic crisis in 1983-85 showed that women were more vulnerable given their predominant participation in the ‘feminised’ industries such as electronics and textiles (which constitute half of the retrenched) and administrative services where the largest job cuts were situated (ILO 1998). Similarly in recent times, women workers still primarily bear the brunt of layoffs given that the ‘feminised’ industries such as the electronics (ThaiIndian.com, 23 Dec 2008) and manufacturing (The Star On-line, 4 Jan 2009) are usually first to be hit in the face of economic turmoil. Thus, in difficult times, women are highly subjected to the risk of various forms of violence: physical, emotional, financial, sexual and social abuse.

We honour women’s ever persevering contribution in such trying times in ensuring food security for her family. From past experiences, it is evident that women are the pillar of strength in the family in protecting the family and in overcoming hardships. Even though women are vulnerable in terms of DV and retrenchment in the midst of economic crisis; however women are always resilient contributors in times of financial crisis. Often, women engage themselves into small businesses such as cooking, sewing, handicrafts etc which reflects women’s determination and persistence in steering the family out of the pit.

In view of the double exposure to vulnerabilities, we urge the government to protect and promote rights of women at work and at home through (i) implementing concrete measures to ensure protection of women’s right at work as provided under standard labour provisions and non-discrimination on the basis of gender as stipulated in Article 8(2) Federal Constitution; (ii) strict enforcement on domestic violence and amendment to the current definition of DV to include other forms of abuse and (iii) counselling services to families facing financial hardship.

I would like to encourage all women to continue as a pillar of strength in the family through this difficult time. We, the MCA Wanita endeavour to support women (i) emotionally through its Women and Children Aid Unit which provides para-counseling services and (ii) financially through a project which is in the pipeline aimed at creating programmes for women to gain economic independence.

Chew Mei Fun

National Chairman of Wanita MCA

8th Mac 2009

妇女节献词

马华妇女组主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬
妇女节献词

在妇女因全球经济危机而可能面对被裁员失业与家庭暴力激增的双重打击之际，联合国以“男女联手终止对妇女与女童的暴力行为”作为今年的国际妇女节主题是非常符合时宜的。因为解除女性在职场上与在家里所面对的暴力威胁必须获得男性的响应才能有效达致。

家暴案件在经济危机时期出现上升迹象是一项值得关注的发展趋势。根据美国国家公正学院于2008年发表的一项2004年的研究报告显示，拥有在5年内曾遭受两次或以上失业经验男性伴侣的妇女，被其男性伴侣虐待的几率比一般人高出3倍。在我国，1997年金融风暴期间的家暴案例从1996年的2,000宗飙升至6000宗。

在就业方面，1980年代我国经济不景时，由于服务于首当其冲的电子业和纺织业和各类服务业者以女性为主，加上雇主们更斤斤计较于妇女怀孕和生产期的不便，也使到女性成了在经济不景气时被裁员的主要对象，这种现象不但发生在1980年代经济萧条时期，也同样的发生在目前。

虽然如此，我们必须高度肯定与赞扬妇女在艰难时刻为确保家庭温饱而作出的贡献。根据过去的经验，妇女通过经营小生意，包括烹饪、缝纫、手工等，往往成为了家庭面对财务危机时带领家庭走出困境的重要支柱。

有鉴于妇女在经济萧条时期所承受的双重威胁，我们呼吁政府通过以下措施保护妇女在职场和家庭的权益：

1. 通过具体有效的措施与行动，确保职场妇女的权益在劳工法令以及联邦宪法 第8(2)条文的保障下得到充分维护；
2. 严格执行家暴法令；
3. 为因财务危机而出现问题的家庭提供辅导服务。

在这艰难时刻，我们鼓励所有妇女勇敢面对，继续扮演家庭重要支柱的角色。马华妇女组将继续通过属下的妇女儿童援助计划为妇女与女童提供辅导与协助；在经济方面，我们即将推展一项协助妇女就业与创业的计划，强化妇女在财务上的独立自主能力。

最后，祝大家国际妇女节快乐！让我们一齐大声向暴力说“不”！


周美芬
马华妇女组全国主席
8/3/09

Wanita MCA shifts its focus

The Star News : Friday February 27, 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita MCA has switched its focus to be actively involved in national issues.
It demonstrated its seriousness in monitoring the implementation of government policies and ensuring good governance when its leaders recently voiced strong opposition against sexist remarks made in Parliament, said movement chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

“The movement has been in existence for 34 years. We must now make changes and start all over again, especially after what we went through in the March 8 general election,” she said in an interview in conjunction with the party’s 60th anniversary celebration on March 1.

Although Wanita MCA was more well known for its social work and match-making singles through the Cupid Club, Chew said the wing was “definitely more than that”.

“Politics is our fundamental objective and it is our goal to help women in this country achieve greater heights in politics,” she said.

Chew said efforts being made by the wing were to attract more young women to join the party. There was even a joint committee with MCA Youth to attract both males and females to participate in politics.

“We will give them specialisation training and ensure that those with potential will have a platform to perform on the political scene,” she said.

Chew said existing members would not be neglected despite the rejuvenation process.

Chew: 'Our goal is to help women in this country achieve greater heights in politics'

“Wanita MCA is not constrained by age. We welcome people from all age groups to join us. We also encourage our members to come out with creative ideas to help develop the movement,” she said.

For women to actively participate in politics, the movement must continue to ensure they are financially independent.

“If women have to constantly worry about their finances; or fret about caring for their children, they will not be able to get involved in politics at all,” she said.

勿在個人利益糾纏‧馬華須朝大方向奮鬥

星洲日報‧2009.03.02

（吉隆坡）馬華婦女組主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬週日（3月1日）呼吁黨員看大方向的奮鬥目標，不要一再在一些個人利益的小枝節問題上糾纏不清。

給馬華一個機會轉型
她說，領袖也是人，希望全體黨員、人民和媒體都給馬華一個機會，讓馬華能心無旁鶩的進行轉型和改革的議程。

她認同馬華經過308政治海嘯的衝擊之後，再經不起分裂的打擊的說法。

“馬華有沒有分裂，全看你如何解讀目前的情況，目前，媒體不斷的挖掘這方面的新聞，實際沒有分裂也讓人感覺好像出現分裂。”

她出席馬華60週年黨慶之後受訪時說，在馬華未出現分裂的問題之前，黨員和領袖回應的方式和媒體的處理手法是很關鍵性。

她希望黨員和領袖要有明辨是非的政治智慧，而媒體也要手下留情，讓馬華有空間全面集中心力作出改進。

她表示，週日迎來60年黨慶令她感觸良多，她希望馬華能夠團結一致，因為還有很多大議題和重要事情要去做。

周美芬嚴厲批評國會衝突事件

星洲互動‧2009.02.27

（吉隆坡）馬華全國婦女組主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬嚴厲批評週四（2月26日）在國會上演的衝突事件，並呼吁大家回到政治的文明軌道。

她今日（週五，2月27日）發表文告說，巫青與民聯議員在國會神聖的民主殿堂公然上演“鐵公雞”，已為人民做出錯誤的示範，令人蒙羞。

“涉及者的粗野暴行為已讓所有從政者蒙羞、國會再度成為笑柄、從政者的形象則再次受到玷污。”

周美芬也表示，她不苟同行動黨主席卡巴星利用國會議員在國會內享有的免控權，肆意暗示巫青為送子彈給他的禍首。但是，對於巫青的魯莽，及對民主精神缺乏起碼的尊重與認識，並缺乏政治智慧的做法，她同樣感到失望及遺憾。

周美芬会见玻州华团和宗教团体

转载自：马华玻璃市州联委会部落格

玻州马华州联委会主席周美芬在二月二十七日分别在两场交流会中会见了玻州13个华团和35个华人宗教团体领导成员. 玻州马华州联委会也为六间华小争取到一共374千的拨款; 另外5万拨款给玻州华人宗教团体.

在这两场交流会中, 周美芬强调马华从全民的角度看问题, 不分种族的服务,为平权, 均等权益, 维护全民的利益为奋斗方向.凡是合情合理合法的问题都会全力以赴,力争到底. 其实马华已经解决了很多问题. 不过还有人误解马华, 因为马华还是被过去某些负面的印象所拖累. 周美芬鼓励华社把心声通过正确有效的管道传达.

周美芬同时呼吁全体玻州马华成员认真工作. 我们参政是秉承敦陈祯禄的理想, 成为华裔的代言人.马华党员无论面对任何艰难情况都要认定方向, 继续服务全民.

马华在服务上做得很好, 不过人民希望马华在政策上有更好的表现.所以马华不仅要积极的走入群众.还得主动参与政策的制定, 给政府的规划提出意见.主动告诉政府我们要什么.玻州马华已经积极的展开多项计划. 欢迎各界人士登陆玻州马华州联委会部落格发表意见.

首项被大刀阔斧改革的是遴选市议员的制度, 对市议员候选人有更严格的要求. 市议员候选人每年都要经过面试和笔试. 其中测试候选人对党的方向的认识, 服务精神, 执行服务的能力等等.市议员一定要有表现才能蝉联. 他们要好好帮助州议员处理民生问题, 以让州议员能全力问政.

周美芬上任玻州马华州连委会主席三个月至今已经到访玻州五次.每次到来都全天候的工作.她保证每个月都会来玻州最少一次, 各界人士如果有意见或问题都欢迎和她见面.