Wanita Gerakan has urged the private sector to support the 90-day women’s maternity leave policy to encourage more women to join the workforce and contribute to the country’s development.

Wanita Gerakan deputy chief Ng Siew Lai said Gerakan fully supports the proposal of 90-day maternity leave for private sector by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in the Parliament.

“After the announcement of 90-day maternity leave for public sector, we receive many queries, comments and suggestions from the female workers in the private sector. They hope to enjoy the same benefit of 90-day maternity leave as those in the public sector.”

Ng also said the government has considered the women’s views and implement the 90-day maternity leave for the government servants from next year onwards.

“In formulating public policies such as employment and social policies, women’s views must be consulted and family’s interest must always come first, in the greater interest of the nation,” Ng advocated.

Ng said women today were just as important as men in taking care of the family’s financial needs. She believed a 90-day maternity leave coupled with other measures to make working place a more family-friendly place would encourage more women to join the workforce. Moreover, the 90-day maternity leave will help to improve women’s physical and mental health, and strengthen the parent-child relationship.

“However, from the aspect of human resource, a 90-day maternity leave may affect the company’s production and female worker’s performance. Hence, negotiation should take place between the employers and the female workers to achieve a win-win situation and the 90-day maternity leave policy can be handled properly and flexibly.”

The ministry has proposed an extended 90-day maternity leave plan for private sector.