Women Ministry to study proposal for spouses to share maternity leave

KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will consider a proposal to allow spouses to share maternity leave, giving couples greater flexibility in caring for newborns.

Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the proposal would be studied to help couples share childcare responsibilities, particularly when mothers need additional support after childbirth.

"Thank you, Yang Berhormat Ampang. We will look into the proposal," she said when winding up debate on the Supply Bill 2027 at the policy stage for her ministry in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

She said she supported initiatives that encouraged families to spend more time together and share childcare duties.

Earlier, Rodziah Ismail (PH-Ampang) proposed allowing mothers to share their maternity leave with their husbands, particularly when newborns required additional care.

"The seven days of paternity leave and 98 days of maternity leave currently provided are welcome measures. But it would be even better if the leave could be shared with husbands.

"Sometimes, newborn babies develop jaundice or other health problems, and husbands should be able to take leave. However, they cannot take paternity leave beyond the existing entitlement.

"I think it is time for the minister to review the current provisions and consider allowing couples to share their leave," she said.

On another matter, Nancy said the Social Welfare Department could consider providing temporary cash assistance to welfare recipients whose bank accounts had been frozen during fraud-related investigations.

She said this would help recipients meet their daily needs while they were unable to access their accounts.

Under existing guidelines, the department disburses monthly assistance through electronic funds transfer (EFT) into recipients' active personal bank accounts.

"If a recipient's bank account is frozen or can no longer be used due to a fraud-related investigation, the recipient or their lawful next of kin is advised to contact the nearest District Social Welfare Office immediately for advice and to provide details of an alternative valid and active bank account," she said.

Nancy said the Finance Ministry had also informed her that banks were willing to cooperate with welfare recipients whose accounts had been frozen pending investigations, enabling them to withdraw their assistance payments.

She said the department was aware of the financial security issues affecting recipients, particularly online scams, identity theft and bank account freezes that disrupted monthly assistance payments.