Malaysia Roundup: University suspension threats, gender equality, importation
Threats to suspend transgender Malaysian student
The University of Sydney has formally apologised to a transgender Malaysian student after it mistakenly threatened her with suspension for expressing pro-Gaza sentiments on campus. The student, currently seeking asylum and facing potential deportation, voiced that the initial notification escalated her distress, Malaymail reports. The university's acknowledgement of its mistake, together with the granting of additional time to respond to the allegations and the subsequent apology, has been termed a necessary rectification of their policy actions. Critique from student representatives underscores perceptions of inclusivity and fairness in institutional policies, raising questions about the treatment of minority voices on campuses.
Why Malaysia’s women are still waiting for equality
On International Women’s Day, Ameena Siddiqi brought attention to the ongoing challenges of gender inequality in Malaysia, despite milestones like the appointment of the first female Chief Justice. Concerns remain acute as female representation in Parliament declines, and systemic bias persists, with a significant proportion of the population acknowledging institutional discrimination against women. The gender pay gap stands alarmingly at 21%, while women navigating divorce face bureaucratic challenges not present for men. Furthermore, issues such as moral policing and child marriage disproportionately affect women, particularly young Muslim girl, according to Malaymail. Siddiqi advocates for substantial reforms, including alterations to Islamic family laws, enhanced protections against domestic violence, enforcement of equal pay, and a mandate for a minimum of 30% female representation in politics. Her assertion posits that Malaysia's modernity cannot be genuinely claimed as long as women operationally encounter outdated societal constructs.
Mandatory employee provident fund contributions
New regulations concerning the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) in Malaysia will mandate contributions from foreign workers starting Q4 of 2025, as enacted through the recently passed Employees Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill 2025. Both foreign workers and their employers will be obligated to contribute 2% of monthly earnings, with the potential for withdrawals upon repatriation after employment, rather than at the traditional retirement age of 55. Asianews reports that, a registration framework is underway for streamlining the integration of data across federal agencies aimed at facilitating the automatic registration of foreign employees. This initiative marks an effort to equalise social security benefits for foreign workers to mirror those available to Malaysian citizens, amidst current statistics revealing that a mere 0.9% of foreign workers actively utilise the EPF.
Malaysian government to import coconuts to peninsula
To mitigate demand fluctuations and ensure a consistent supply within the coconut market during the festive period, the Malaysian government has announced plans to import 640 tonnes of coconuts monthly from Indonesia, along with local sources from Sabah and Sarawak. Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu highlighted this strategy to stabilise prices amidst increasing costs, as coconut prices have markedly escalated from RM1.10 to RM2.20 since late 2024. While local production of coconuts has seen some growth, it is still inadequate to fulfil the national demand of 1.3 billion coconuts annually, Asianews reports. In tandem with this approach, the government is launching medium- and long-term initiatives under the Coconut Industry Development Programme, which encompasses replanting strategies and agricultural assistance for farmers, with an earmarked budget of RM15 million aimed at enhancing production capabilities and curbing price surges.
