Give us winnable seats, not just tokens of ‘appeasement’ - Puteri Umno
Since women constitute more than half of the electorate, they remain the key decision-makers in any election.
KUALA LUMPUR – Sabah Puteri Umno has issued a strong call for 30 per cent women’s representation in the upcoming 16th General Election, demanding that female candidates be given "winnable" seats rather than symbolic ones.
State Puteri Umno Chief Ummi Nabilah Jamal stressed that since women constitute more than half of the electorate, they remain the key decision-makers in any election.
She argued that female candidates are uniquely positioned to secure this demographic's support as they deeply understand issues involving families, women, and future generations.
“Please do not just give women seats merely for show as if to appease hearts.
“Instead, provide constituencies that can truly contribute to victory, based on the strength of the candidate and the party,” she said during the wing’s general assembly.
Ummi Nabilah challenged the narrative that women are less competitive than their male counterparts.
Reflecting on the previous Sabah state election, she notstated that while none of the five Umno women candidates won their seats, only one lost her deposit.
In contrast, she highlighted that male candidates contested 40 seats, with 11 of them or 35 per cent losing their deposits.
The five female candidates represented only 11 per cent of Sabah Umno’s total 45 candidates, a figure she argues must be significantly increased.
Adding to the call for greater inclusion, Sabah Puteri Umno Secretary Laiji Ompongoh reminded party leaders not to use her previous defeat in the Nabawan state seat as a reason to deny opportunities to other young women in the wing.
Laiji, who also serves as the Pensiangan Puteri Umno Division Chief, insisted that the outcome of a specific Sabah election should not be treated as an absolute benchmark for assessing the capability of Puteri Umno candidates nationwide.
Ummi Nabilah reaffirmed that both Wanita and Puteri candidates remain a "winnable choice" provided they receive genuine, unified support from across the party.
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