KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will launch an action plan soon to allow women to hold at least 30 per cent of the decision-making positions in both the public and private sectors.

A draft of the action plan, initiated by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and various interest groups four years ago, is now in the final stages. It will be handed over to the Cabinet for approval before the policy is implemented, said the ministry's secretary-general Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir.

She said six sectors will be involved in carrying out gender equality programmes: The public sector; the judiciary; legislative bodies comprising the Parliament, state executive councils and local councils; Federal ministries and agencies; statutory bodies; and universities.

Ms Faizah said the number of women decision-makers in the corporate sector is still low, but in the public sector, women hold an encouraging 22 per cent of the decision-making positions, such as senior officers with the rank of Jusa C and above.

But it was still short of the minimum 30 per cent target, and the action plan will help speed up the process, she added.

'There is no deadline to achieve the 30 per cent target in these six sectors, but the action plan will help them achieve gender-equality goals in a more comprehensive manner,' she told reporters after opening the one-day Gender Awareness Seminar for MPs and Senators here on Friday.

Ms Faizah said the gender equality policy will not impose any form of penalty on the corporate sector if they did not meet the target. 'We will not force the policy on them ... we will use moral persuasion,' she added.

Ms Faizah said the ministry was also discussing introducing gender awareness awards or certificates to companies which successfully reached the 30 per cent target.

Earlier, in her speech, Ms Faizah said that in 2008, women made up 49 per cent of the total population, at 13.7 million. But only 45.7 per cent of women were in the employment market, compared to 79.5 per cent of men.

'The number of women involved in the decision-making process is still low. For example, in Parliament, only 10.4 per cent of MPs are women, while the proportion of women Dewan Negara senators has decreased from 33.3 per cent in 2004 to 27.3 per cent in April this year,' she added.

Ms Faizah said women faced various challenges in moving forward, including cultural and tradition factors which hampered their careers, with many holding the view that women should act as helpers or followers to men. -- THE STAR/ANN