Toni Kasim back in election action

Toni Kasim back in election action
Azreen Madzlan Feb 4, 08 5:५३प्म् (Malaysiakini)

She’s back! Zaitun ‘Toni’ Kasim is to contest the next general election on a ‘women’s ticket’, just as she did in 1999 as a rookie in politics।

Toni (photo), as she is popularly known, has worked on a wide range of human rights and gender issues for 15 years, and has strong convictions on equality before the law for women and men।
Her name was put up by the Women’s Candidacy Initiative (WCI), a group of women activists who had backed her previous outing.
"We are tired of decades of bullying. We are here to bring about change," said Toni, 40, at a press conference on Saturday.
In 1999, Toni contested the Selayang parliamentary seat against Barisan Nasional’s Chan Kong Choy, although she stood under the DAP banner for logistical reasons. She won 43 percent (26,144) of the votes, which slashed the incumbent’s margin from 38,627 in 1995 to 8,835.
WCI campaign manager Maria Chin pointed out that politics belong to all citizens and that it requires the participation of civil society, whether or not they choose to join a political party.
"It is important for us to contest as an independent candidate because many of us think the same way. With bigger support this year, we are pleased to come together once again. " she said.
Maria said it has not been easy to revive the ideal of civil society participation in elections, in view of electoral procedures in relation to independent candidacy.
Some of the barriers include gerrymandering and an increase in the quantum of deposits to be placed by election candidates - for instance, RM10,000 plus RM5,000 in relation to post-election removal of campaign materials to contest in a parliamentary seat.
WCI did not endorse a women’s candidate in the 11th general election in 2004, as it was focusing on women’s rights awareness campaigns and programmes.
For the next general election, WCI has drawn up a 10-point manifesto, a copy of which will be sent to BN and opposition leaders. Its main points are:
Democracy that belongs to all
A society that does not discriminate
The rights to basic freedom and human rights
A transparent, corruption-free government
A safe, violence-free society
Good and affordable standard of living for all
End to privatisation of healthcare and other basic needs
End to unfair and oppressive laws
End to forced evictions from land and homes
Responsible, sustainable and equitable development
Push for women’s agenda
Toni said the WCI was formed with a long-term goal in mind - to reduce, if not eliminate, gender-based discrimination in all fields.
"We need to push the women’s agenda as far as we can, and this can only be achieved by contesting in the elections," she said, explaining her decision to accept candidacy.
Although she has yet to decide which seat to contest, Toni said the government should announce the election dates early so that candidates can make their preparations.
"The (minimum) seven-day campaign period is ridiculous as this will not allow independent candidates (sufficient time) to build their identity among voters," she noted.
She stressed that, as an independent lobby, WCI will not associate itself with any political party "but if the ruling or the opposition parties support our manifesto, we would be more than happy".
Asked to comment on the performance of current women politicians, she said Malaysian women are not seeing enough from those in BN.
She cited instances when action was not initiated against parliamentarians who made sexist remarks, saying that "society will be in trouble if we keep electing people like this".
In addition, she added, there has been little domestic progress in implementing provisions of the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, although the government has ratified the treaty in 1995.