M'sian, one of the countries with opportunities accessible to women

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysians should be proud their country
was one of those where opportunities were accessible to women in many sectors,
said Najib Razak.

The prime minister said currently, women made up 47.3 per cent of the
Malaysian workforce, as compared to 30.8 per cent in 2000.

"By 2015, the Government hopes the number will increase to 55 per cent," he
said in his 1Malaysia blog Thursday.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.

In commemorating a century of global recognition of the equal rights of
women, the United Nations’ theme this year is ‘Equal access to education,
training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women'.

Najib also said women in Malaysia could lay claim to a vast array of
achievements.

"Tan Sri Dr Zeti Aziz has frequently received recognition for her role as
Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysia's central bank). Datuk Nicol David is
a well-known sports role model for her international achievements. Young
entertainer Angelica Lee Sinje has developed a large following within the global
Chinese community, not only for her singing and award-winning acting, but also
for her charity work"

"Datuk Lim Phaik Gan is well-respected as one of the country’s pioneer
female lawyers. During his administration, my late father appointed her Deputy
Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 1971, the first Malaysian
woman to hold the post. Her contributions have been invaluable to the growth of
the nation," he said.

Najib said every year, local universities welcomed more female students onto
their campus, where decades ago, education was a luxury few women could afford.

"The Ministry of Higher Education records that 58.6 per cent of new intakes
in local public institutions of higher learning for the 2010/11 academic session
are female.

"In fact, in the 10th Malaysia Plan, I shared that the number of first-class
degree holders produced in these institutions in 2008 were largely female, at
62.3 per cent," he said.

Najib said this trend showed that more and more women would enter the
workforce in the coming years, equipped not just to become productive employees,
but with great potential to become leaders in their field.

"As the popular poem by William Ross Wallace goes, the hand that rocks the
cradle is the hand that rules the world," he said.

Najib said the government had worked hard at social transformation, which
was the key to any nation’s success.

"In recognition of this day (International Women’s Day), I hope all
Malaysians will acknowledge the roles of the hardworking women in your lives,
and continue to provide encouragement and support so that we all can
successfully contribute to the wealth and prosperity of the nation," he said.