If the call is heeded, the Sabah capital will make history because all its previous mayors have been men.
Nordin’s two-year term will end on Dec 31. He has told FMT he is leaving it to the state administration to decide whether to extend his tenure.
“It’s not my say,” he said.
But several women leaders are asking the state government to break tradition by recognising that there is no lack of women capable of leading the city.
Former assemblyman Melanie Chia, a long-time advocate of gender equality, said the empowerment of women was a central element of growth and prosperity.
“Women’s participation in the development process is crucial,” she said. “We must go beyond the rhetoric of talking about these issues only at election time.”
She said appointing a woman mayor would reflect well on the Sabah government. “It will be seen as making a pivotal move in boosting women’s empowerment in Malaysia, and Sabah especially.”
She proposed choosing Kota Kinabalu City Hall director-general Noorliza Awang Alip, describing her as a “very capable” civil servant.
Umno Supreme Council member Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said Sabah had many capable women candidates for the position.
“Hopefully, women will fill not only the mayor’s position but other strategic positions as well,” she said. “We are certainly not lacking in capable women. We have shown this in the past. There are many examples, such as Maznah Ghani, who was the former deputy state secretary.”
Sabah DAP Women chief Jannie Lasimbang said such a historic appointment would open up the possibility of other women being involved in leadership positions in future.
“Many people are recovering economically from the Covid-19 pandemic and I see a lot of women involved in entrepreneurship,” she said. “A woman mayor might understand more about the needs of these women as well as the safety of women in the city.”
The Sabah Women’s Action Resource Group (Sawo) said it had been trying to push for more women in leadership roles, especially in the political arena.
Sawo representative Amy Marcus said there were more than enough women qualified for the mayor’s post, especially those with track records in heading government agencies and corporate organisations.
“Sawo is glad that more women are voicing up and echoing what we have been advocating for.
“During the 16th Sabah election, we made efforts to push for more women in the Sabah legislative assembly.
“We also got a petition going to get the seven best losers to be the nominated assemblymen as a remedy since less than 10% of the elected representatives are women.
“Sawo was quite disappointed that the new government line-up has fewer women. There is no woman as a full minister in the state,” she said.