Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh said the proposal for income tax exemptions from 2023 to 2028 for women returning to the workforce after a “career break” reflected the government’s lack of understanding as to why women stayed at home.

“Women don’t work because of a lack of childcare or elderly support at home,” the DAP MP told FMT.

In tabling Budget 2023, finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz also said the social security organisation (Socso) would provide incentives for employers to hire women returning to work.

Up to RM750 a month will be given to employers for three months per employee under this initiative.

On the RM8 million allocated for social support centres to tackle mental health issues and domestic violence cases, Yeoh said there had been similar initiatives in the past yet there was still insufficient information on implementation.

“No one really knows about implementation or how to access them. Sometimes, even by August or September of the year (for which the budget was allocated), people still do not know how to access these funds,” she said.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin wanted these social support centres to also cater to the elderly and children who suffer abuse.

Citing her experience working with children who suffered abuse, the PKR MP said there were times when the welfare department could not place the children in shelters because they were full.

“We need more shelters,” she said, adding that it was not clear if the budget allocated funds to tackle social issues like cyberbullying and child sexual abuse.

Irene Xavier of Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor welcomed the formation of gender focal teams in every government ministry and agency but reminded that team members must have a proper understanding of what gender discrimination entailed.

Xavier claimed Putrajaya was still unclear about anti-discrimination concepts such as equal remuneration for work of equal value.

“They do not know how to (recognise) that women do not start off on a level playing field,” she said, hence it was crucial to train these teams.

The teams were announced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in July, and mentioned again by finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz when he tabled the 2023 budget.

Ismail had said these teams would explore the potential of women in the economy and involve them in policy planning and implementation, with seven members in each team to implement initiatives to achieve gender equality.