What's the story on paternity leave in Malaysia?

In a recent interview with BFM 89.9's Umapagan, UNDP's Programme Manager (Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment), Suri Kempe shares that women are allowed to bond with their children is because of maternity leave policies in place but the same attitude is not applied to men. 

She goes on to explain that in a Harvard Business Review study, men interviewed remarked that there is a "sanction" for those who apply for paternal leave.
"These men go..."I know that when I do apply for this leave, there is a sanction to it. That my colleagues, my supervisors who grant me that leave then say that 'You're not as committed if you are applying for patnernity leave, there must be something wrong with you.'"

As a result, there is stigma to taking and applying for paternity leave and then, they are seen as not as committed as their colleagues who don't."

Suri was joined by TalentCorp's Head of Diversity and Capability Aishah Lassim and Malaysian Employers Federation's Executive Director Datuk Haji Shamsuddin Bardan in that interview and together, they discussed whether it’s time to give dads a break after the birth of their newborn child and other alternatives to paternity leave such as job sharing.

To find out more about their discussion, click here to listen to the podcast.