Much was promised verbally by all candidates contesting the recently concluded 11th general election.

Issues of gender discrimination and inequality were among the topics the women candidates chose to ride on, not realising that these are the same issues that the feminist movement has been championing for almost 20 years.

The irony of it all is that none of the women candidates, including incumbents like Rafidah Aziz, Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman, P Komaladevi, Chew Mei Fun and Teresa Kok, showed much interest in women's issues after the 10th general election in 1999.

They have had sufficient opportunities to show their support for women's non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on occasions when issues of women and gender were very much the centre of debate.

However, there was barely a murmur when the NGOs lobbied for amendments to laws related to rape or the Domestic Violence Act, or even recognition of sexual harassment as a crime.

In the case of Lembah Pantai MP Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, her journey towards improving the welfare of women has yet to begin in the true sense of the word despite her specific portfolio as (then) Women and Family Development Minister (now Women, Family and Community Development Minister).

She has yet to help the women's groups pin down the required amendments to laws related to rape or to end gender discrimination across the board. She has shown little zest in sounding a clarion call to male counterparts to show seriousness about gender-based issues.

During campaigning for the 11th general election, these 'able' women politicians again failed to show dedication to women's issues.

Instead, political parties only drummed it into voters' heads that more women candidates were being fielded in order to give women a bigger voice at the decision- making level. It sounded too good to be true.

Playing politics

The 2004 general election saw 97 women candidates being fielded from all parties.

While women's groups were pleased that more women are showing a direct interest in politics, they were unimpressed with the platforms being used by women candidates to fish for votes.

"Suddenly these women candidates were making pledges about wanting to champion women's rights. Where were they when women's groups needed all the support we could get in lobbying against gender discrimination?" asked Manohary Subramaniam of the All Women's Action Society (Awam).

She said the situation should not be one of NGOs approaching the women MPs for help, but one of women MPs coming forward to offer assistance. Yet "none of them do, unless it benefits them and advances their political career".

"We are happy that more women are showing interest in politics because it is a recognition of gender equality in process. But we are concerned that after the 'funfare' ends, gender issues will be put on the back burner again," she said.

"To many people, including politicians, gender issues are not a priority matter. They may talk about poverty and single mothers issues, and not even realise that these are also gender issues."

Election watchdog

Having seen the 'all talk no action' reaction of politicians in previous general elections, women's groups decided to act as a watchdog by forming the Women Monitoring Elections Candidates (WoMEC).

Apart from Awam, the group involved Sisters in Islam, Women's Centre for Change, Women's Development Collective, Women's Aid Organisation, Sahabat Wanita Selangor and the Metal Industries Employees Union.

WoMEC is an initiative of the Joint Action Group against Violence Against Women, of which these groups are members.

Manohary said the groups want to make sure that elected candidates are accountable and pro-active in advancing and upholding social justice and goals of equality. WoMEC will, for a year, monitor the performance of the MPs.

"They must be consistent in showing commitment to various gender-related issues. We do not want them to take the rakyat for granted and pay lip service only when there is a general election," she said.

"Aside from Shahrizat and (Puteri Umno chief) Azalina Othman Said, who showed up at some of our personal-safety campaigns, others politicians have not attended such events. Now, what does that say about their commitment?"

Laudable increase

On the increase in the number of women candidates, Manohary said it fell short of the 30 percent global target - the minimum acceptable level of participation for women to be effective at the political decision-making level.

The number fielded amounted to less than seven percent of all election candidates at parliamentary and state level.

"There appears to be a shortage of confidence in women being able to make it in politics because of societal pressure that conditions women to believe that their place is at home and being successful on the domestic front," she noted.

"Then again, when a number of women do get into politics, the question is if they actually represent us and act on issues raised."

"We in the women's groups are fighting a lonely battle...when it comes to making promises, our politicians are a classic example of the Malay proverb indah rupa dari kata (a beautiful image based on words)."

Still sorely lacking, she added, is a sense of accountability in improving the lives of ordinary people who voted them into power.

JJ RAY started her career with a mainstream publication. A non-conformist, she soon saw the barriers that went up whenever, through her writing, she tried to make the world a home for one and all.