‘Disappointed’ women’s group calls for MPs to scrutinise 2027 budget through gender lens

The All Women’s Action Society (Awam) has expressed disappointment with the 2027 budget, urging MPs to scrutinise it through a gender lens. While the budget includes some improvements, such as longer maternity leave for civil servants and tax relief for postpartum care, Awam president Lai Suat Yan argues that it falls short in addressing critical issues affecting women.

These include gender-based violence, low workforce participation, and the unequal burden of unpaid care work. Awam maintains that public budgeting must be viewed through a gender-responsive lens to ensure public resources address existing inequalities, respond to the diverse needs of women, and contribute to inclusive and sustainable national development.

Brief written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.