Ummu Atiyah Ahmad Zakuan

This study analysed the substantive role of women parliamentarians in the House of Representatives of the 13th Malaysian Parliament from 2013 to 2017. Previous studies conducted in Western countries have shown that women parliamentarians are more responsive to women’s interests compared to male parliamentarians. However, women participation in the policy-making as legislators are low and has not achieved the quota that has been set up in Malaysia. The number of women parliamentarians do not reflect the number of women voters that are higher than the male voters. The aim of this study is to analyse the extent to which the role of women Parliamentarians represents women’s issues using Hanna Pitkin’s theory of representation and Anne Philips’s politics of presence. This study uses a qualitative approach through content analysis to examine the Parliament Hansard and interviews with the women parliementarians. The result indicates that the women Parliamentarians formed 10.36% of members in the House of Representatives but they raised the women’s issues higher than the male parliamentarians did. This shows that the women parliamentarians were able to impact policy-making even with a small number in Malaysia.

The development of the country is not only focusing on the role of government alone. The private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also play impo The development of the country is not only focusing on the role of government alone. The private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also play impo

Southeast Asia is home to about 8.5% of the world’s total population and 10% of its internet users, yet it is also home to 12.7% of the world’s social media users. The exponential growth in internet and social media utilization poses both opportunities and challenges towards democratization. The research aims to examine how the digital sphere may or may not support inclusive and deliberative democracy in the region. Using elaboration on case studies from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, the current study is reflecting on shared challenges and opportunities in preserving democracy amidst the rapid development of cyberspace as a mode of political communication. The findings suggest that digital space has been instrumental in harassing dissent or jailing opposition members in countries like the Philippines and Vietnam. On the other hand, the use of technology provides an opportunity to foster a more deliberative and inclusive democracy in Indonesia and Malaysia. The article contributes to the wider conversation on democracy and the digital sphere in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries.

Women appears to be very significant in the survival of ISIS. It is due to their roles in procreating the militants, recruiting, and even in combating. Various studies and reports have shown that, although the ISIS subscribes to the idea that women should be confined at homes with their husbands and children, women’s roles are increasingly significant and crucial especially in the post establishment of the Caliphate, with Raqqa, Syria, as the Capital City. Even though the Caliphate had fallen in 2017, women continue to be a force to be reckoned. Prior the fall of Raqqa, reports have shown that over 500 western women have travelled to for various roles. In the context of Malaysia, the entire nation was shocked to learn that there are Malaysian women who involved in ISIS in 2013 and the numbers are growing until now. At present, more than 30 women have been identified involving in ISIS- some have been detained, released and few are not being able to be located. Interestingly, these women come from diverse demography such as age, educational level, economic and social background. Their involvement in ISIS also are motivated by various factors including for jihadism and for marriage. This article focuses on the profiling of the Malaysian women who involved in ISIS and the causes of their radicalization and roles they played in ISIS. The data gathered are primarily from various reports and expert interviews who involved with female ISIS detainees. Keywords: Radicalization, ISIS, women, terrorism, Malaysia