The overall number of women candidates have increased, but as a percentage of the total number of candidates, they still make up only about 10% of those in the running.

ONCE again, we are in election mode and once again, candidate lists are checked to see who might be running our country next.

Some old faces are gone, some are still there but there are also many new ones.

Perhaps, there is also more drama this time, what with people who were expected to stand missing, standing as independents and other bizarre cases.

Elections are obviously when you get to know the true nature of people.

As always, I scrutinised the lists to see how many women are standing this time.

The Election Commission says that there has been a 40% increase in the number of women candidates this time.

It looked like women are finally given the chance they deserve to represent half the population.

But upon closer inspection, the numbers are not as pleasing as they may seem.

Yes, the overall numbers of women candidates have increased.

But as a percentage of the total number of candidates, they still make up only about 10% of those in the running.

This is extremely disappointing.

In the last Parliament, women made up only 10% of the total number of MPs while in the state assemblies, women made up a dismal 8%.

This is far below the 30% allocation for women designated in the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women which Malaysia has signed and promised to implement.

To ensure that we get the 30% of political decision makers, it is obvious that we need far more than 30% of the nominated candidates to be women.

To only have 10% female candidates will mean that even if all of them win, which they won’t, we will never meet the target.

It is even more disappointing when there was so much talk about the need to increase the number of women in the polls in the days leading up to Nomination Day.

Is there a lack of sincerity by the political parties in fulfilling these commitments?

Some have commented on the difficulties in getting women to stand for elections at all.

Let us unpack that.

In the first place, Malaysian politics is a field so tainted by scandalous and boorish behaviour that few women with any self-respect will want to join in.

If they joined, they would have to share space with male politicians who are totally unashamed of their sexist attitudes towards women, and who rarely got reprimanded for them.

Indeed, one particularly reprehensible specimen, who regularly tops the list of outrageous male behaviour, is once again defending his seat.

Secondly, women have so much more to consider if they want to stand.

Supportive husbands and families are a necessity.

There is no way a married woman can enter politics if hubby is sulking at home.

Ensuring that the children are cared for while they go campaigning, something men don’t have to consider, is another.

Furthermore, campaigning is one thing, what if they win?

This would necessitate another round of family negotiations and arrangements.

Having said that, since we undoubtedly do need women in Parliament, there is a need to provide some training for aspiring women legislators.

It is no use trying to look for women candidates only when elections are pending.

If political parties are serious about fielding women, they should start talent-spotting and training women way ahead, perhaps as soon as one election is over.

The training would help women understand what they are up against in the world of legislating, and allow them to work through the issues they would face.

One issue would certainly be the condescension of the media towards women politicians, where looks and their personal lives are deemed more important than what they have to say about issues.

It is unbelievable that in this day and age, the best that the media can report on women candidates is on their ideas on grooming.

Finally, there are many people who believe that quotas for women are unnecessary and somehow demean women.

They say that MPs and ADUNs should be chosen for their capabilities, rather than their sex.

It’s interesting that it’s only when we talk about women in politics (or business) that the question of capability comes up.

But 90% of our legislators thus far have been men.

Can we in all honesty say that they were all chosen because of exemplary capabilities?

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