Keadilan Wanita proposed today that all efforts in the party should be focused on ensuring that women are represented in every facet of the party leadership.

Delegate Isma Ismail who read out the two-page resolution at the party's third annual general assembly in Kemaman, Terengganu, said a gender-sensitive political culture can ensure that women contribute effectively to an equal partnership in society.

Isma also proposed that all policies must include the various races, communities, the minority and marginalised groups, especially the poor.

According to Isma, the recent Budget 2002 unveiled by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad should be rejected because it was "biased towards the elite group, insensitive towards women and did not prepare them to face challenges in the future".

"We propose a mechanism to monitor the effectiveness of projects and programmes for women carried out by the Women and Family Development Ministry," said Isma.

"These are said in the light of the fact that 53 percent of the country's population are women who are the most significant contributors to the economic well-being and political and social integration of the community," she added.

The resolutions were passed unanimously by some 400 delegates who were present.

Expedite merger

The delegates also passed the resolutions by the party's Youth wing which called upon the new leadership to expedite the merger process between Keadilan and PRM.

The Youth proposed that the merger, which obtained a two-third majority from delegates at the emergency general meeting in June, be completed within three months.

All resolutions by the Supreme Council leadership which include calling for the repeal of the Internal Security Act and other draconian laws such as the Official Secrets Act, Printing Presses and Publications Act and the Universities and University Colleges Act were passed unanimously by the delegates.

The resolution also included urging the government to restore the right of the rakyat to free speech and assembly, and the rights of political parties to propagate their ideologies.

The two-day AGM drew to a close today.