Women Discrimination in Malaysia: Examining ‘The Gender Agenda’ from the Viewpoint of Lenore Manderson’s Women, Politics, and Change

The purpose of this study is to determine factors contributing to gender disparity in Malaysia. Specifically, the researcher has assessed the regions in Malaysian society where the gender gap has been on the rise. In Malaysian, 50% of her population are women, but still, they are discriminated against and not considered in decision-making processes in the society. For example, in the education sector, leadership, politics, the corporate world, and entrepreneurship with women have taken backstage. The whole system has been designed to alienate women from being counted when it matters. With over thirty ethnic groups, Malaysian is termed as a multi-ethnic country and rich in culture. It is these cultural beliefs that have contributed to women falling behind. This study is based on readings from a book on Women, politics, and change in society. The author Lenore Manderson (1980) has tried to show how she was inspired to know more about the Malay women following assertions by a British journalist and other European visitors. Also, she tried to recon the remarkable feature of women in Malaysia attempting to fight for their existence in the society through rallies, demonstrating, and forming national movements during the late 40s and post-world war II. The journalist tried to describe the roles Malay women played in society and the discrimination, inequality in rights, and issues they went through in the community.