KUALA LUMPUR: More initiatives will be taken to assist Muslim women undergoing divorce, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"For this, the government through the Syariah Judiciary Department will introduce an Act whereby banks can freeze the husband’s bank account with orders from the courts.
"The bank will also have the discretion to make payments from the husband’s account if the wife had made monetary claims through the courts," he said when launching the national level Women’s Day celebration on March 8.
He added that the human rights institution under the Syariah Court would be further refined to ease lengthy divorce proceedings among Muslim couples.
"Organisation leaders are also urged to allow women who have recently lost their husbands to work from home for an appropriate period of time to handle issues relating to their partner's demise," he said.
Sabri added that the proposal to make it mandatory for at least one woman director to be appointed in public listed companies was expected to take effect on Sept 1.
Other initiatives include the forming of a National Women’s Council, the forming of an Anti Sexual Harassment Bill and making it compulsory for March 8 to be celebrated as Women’s Day be it at the Federal or state level.
Also present at the event was International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun, KPWKM deputy minister Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyudin Hasan and Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.
The theme for this year’s celebration was "Equal Together" which aligns with the international theme of Gender Equality Today for A Sustainable Tomorrow.
In conjunction with the celebration, KPWKM also recognised icons for the Women’s Icon Award 2022 across the fields of economics, education, health, leadership, safety and law alongside the Wanita Bangkit Award along and the Tun Fatimah Special Award.