KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Minsitry (KESUMA) has appointed two women, with extensive experience in the field of labour law, as new Industrial Court chairmen effective today.
Its minister, Steven Sim said the women are Chow Siew Lin, 59, and Pravin Kaur Jessy, 52.
He said with their appointment, there are now 22 women who are Industrial Court chairmen, and this is the highest number in the history of the country’s Industrial Court.
“We want to break the glass ceiling...give opportunities to women who possess abilities and capabilities to become chairmen. What I expect of chairmen, regardless of agenda and race, is to uphold justice and equity within the industrial court system,” he said.
Sim said this at a press conference after the presentation ceremony of the instrument of appointment to the Industrial Court chairmen here today. The event was also attended by Industrial Court president Datuk Wan Jeffry Kassim.
Sim said a new chairman's appointment is for four years to provide a guarantee of service protection or security of tenure in order to be able to better carry out duties and provide agility for the business process at the Industrial Court.
Pravin, who hails from Penang, is the first Sikh woman appointed as an Industrial Court chairman. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LL.B (Hons) from the United Kingdom's University of Northumbria, Newcastle in 1993.
Meanwhile, Chow, from Kuala Lumpur, was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1994. She started her legal career as a litigation lawyer, handling civil litigations at courts of different levels.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LL.B (Hons)) from the University of London (External) and Master of Laws (LL.M) from the same university. -Bernama