Women's parliamentary caucus mooted

A group of women parliamentarians will hold a meeting tomorrow to garner support for a Women’s Parliamentary Caucus.

More on that and other snippets from today’s parliamentary proceedings follow:

Women’s parliamentary caucus mooted

A group of women parliamentarians will hold a meeting tomorrow to garner support for a Women’s Parliamentary Caucus.

Chong Eng, three-term DAP representative for Bukit Mertajam, said she hopes for enough support from all 24 women parliamentarians.

"I have spoken to the Barisan Nasional women MPs. They are privately very supportive but have not attended any of our meetings,” she told a press conference in the Parliament lobby.

"I've always been very keen on women's issues. We need to go back to basics and have something for women by women.”

Chong said the idea for a women's parliamentary caucus had previously been mooted by former Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil a few years ago, but that it had failed to take off.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) added: "It is time to set up a caucus to tackle women's issues without involving politics.”

The Parliamentary Caucus on Gender Equality previously chaired by ex-Ampang MP Dr Rozaidah Talib was targeted as being ineffective during the last legislative session.

'Full moon' for new MPs

Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) and Loh Gwo Burne (PKR-Kelana Jaya) turned ‘Easter bunnies’ when they distributed red eggs to reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Reporters and cameramen were caught by surprise as Lim approached them with a carry bag filled with some 40 red-coloured hard-boiled eggs.

Giving out red eggs is a Chinese custom that marks a baby's first month after birth - known as a 'full moon'.

Lim explained that the occasion was to mark the new parliamentarians’ first month in the House.

Loh, who brought the eggs, said the idea came from Er Teck Hwa (DAP-Bakri), also a first-time parliamentarian.

"We thought it would be great idea since it is the 30th day that we're in Parliament. Reporters deserve a little treat as well," he said.