112 Penerapan Konsep MADANI dalam Perkhidmatan Awam The Malaysia MADANI concept is newly introduced by the 10th Prime Minister this year. Study on Malaysia MADANI policy framework associated with empowering women leadership is relatively a new field of study in Malaysia. There are not much studies conducted on this new policy framework. Most of the existing studies only focus on the fundamental concept of MADANI society. There are probably no studies were conducted in which directly explore the understanding of empowering women leadership in Malaysia MADANI way especially in the government sector. Hence, this study is believed to be able in increasing the number of studies in this field and also act as exploratory study which aims to provide a wide range of ideas and information for future research and community engagement. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM This section is to review relevant literatures regarding the Government’s commitment in aligning women empowerment at the national and international levels. It continues to explain current status of women in decision making levels especially in the public sector. A. Malaysia Commitment towards Empowering Women In the National Agenda, reducing inequalities and improving wellbeing of specific targets groups including women and children has always been in Malaysia’s development planning (Ministry of Economy, n.d.). In other words, addressing inclusive development is always given as priority in Malaysia’s socioeconomic development. The development of women was first highlighted in the Third Malaysia Plan (1976-1980) and continues to be highlighted in the current Plan, the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (2021-2025). Furthermore, a special chapter on women development’s policies and programmes has been devoted in the Sixth Malaysia Plan. At the same period, it has also marked a new milestone in the country’s socioeconomics progress where the unemployment rate decreased from 2.8% in 1995 to 2.6% in 1996 (Asian Development Bank, 1998). This has resulted an increment on women participation in labour force. It was due to rapid expansion of manufacturing sector in which women participation were 43.4% of the workforce, however, remained in the low-skilled, labour-intensive jobs in agriculture and semi-skilled assembly work in the industry sector (Asian Development Bank, 1998). In year 2004, the Government agreed to the implementation of a policy of at least 30.0% of women at the decision making levels in the public sector (CEDAW Report, 2004). Then, the Government has also extended the policy to the private sector and has set a target that women must incorporate at least 30.0% on Boards in the corporate sector by 2016 (Women Directors’ Programme Report, n.d.). Under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11th Malaysia Plan) (2016-2020), it underlined women’s inclusivity in its first strategic thrusts out of six strategic thrusts. Empowering community on children, youth, women and elderly were in the pipeline in building a more productive and prosperous society. The goal was set to increase to 59.0% of women’s participation in labour force. Moreover, to date, the country continues in improving and investing greater efforts to shift women participation in labour force from low-skilled and semi-skilled jobs to women’s involvement at the leadership and policy-making positions. This is shown under Chapter 5 of LITERATURE REVIEW
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