Stereotypes, expectations: A battle beyond the ballot box for S’pore’s women MPs

Having a woman in charge is “not so good” for a political party.

Your child will do better if you stay home, instead of being a busy MP.

Speak firmly in Parliament, but not aggressively – and make sure you dress well.

These comments – made to female politicians in Singapore – represent attitudes that need to change for more women to step into the political spotlight, four MPs told The Straits Times.

Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Ms Rachel Ong, Ms Sylvia Lim and Ms Hazel Poa are among a growing group of women who have represented Singaporeans since the nation achieved self-governance in 1959.

That year, five women were elected into the 51-member Legislative Assembly – four from the People’s Action Party (PAP) and one from the Singapore People’s Alliance.

Now, women account for three in 10 MPs, or 26 of 89 elected and non-constituency seats.

And political parties are aiming to get even more women into politics.

At the PAP Women’s Wing conference in August, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he hoped to field more women candidates in the general election in 2025. They bring different perspectives and working styles to the table, he said.

But it has been a Herculean task for parties on both sides of the aisle.

The four MPs told ST that factors they had considered before stepping into the political spotlight included expectations from themselves and others, as well as securing the agreement of their loved ones.

Ms Rahayu is the only political office-holder among the four. The demands on her time stem from her role as Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health, as well as being a mother to a special-needs child, among others.

For West Coast GRC MP Ong, joining politics was about putting her businesses in order first.

There is further pressure on women such as Ms Lim and Ms Poa, who take on leadership roles in their parties.

Ms Lim is the Workers’ Party’s (WP) first female chairperson, taking on the role in 2003. Ms Poa, a Non-Constituency MP (NCMP), became the Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP) first female secretary-general when she assumed the role in February 2024.

After taking over from fellow PSP NCMP Leong Mun Wai, Ms Poa said she heard comments that it is “not so good” for a political party to have a female leader.

“But my approach (to such comments) has always been to just ignore, continue doing things the same way without getting affected,” she added.

Heavy expectations

Expectations of female MPs are made heavier by old-fashioned stereotypes of what women should or should not do.

For some, there are the pressures of motherhood.

PAP MP Rahayu said the mother of her son’s classmate once told her that children with special needs thrive better when their mothers do not work.

Her son, seven, has Down syndrome.

“I was very stoic... but I didn’t realise it affected me more than I cared to admit, because I do feel like I am short-changing my son a lot,” she said.

She thought it unlikely that a father would have been given similar advice.

On another occasion, she visited a market shortly after giving birth, wanting to prove she could still do her job.

But a resident told her she should have made a stand for mothers by staying home, to show that mothers should be allowed to rest.

Women may feel they are expected to prioritise family or caregiving, or that they should not want to “overshadow” their husbands, said sociologist Tan Ern Ser.

Studies have also shown there may be a confidence gap between women and men, said former Nominated MP Anthea Ong. She noted that women, unlike men, often underestimate their abilities.

There are also public expectations for women politicians to look and speak a certain way.

Ms Poa said she started wearing make-up regularly only after entering politics.

She has received well-meaning advice from fellow party members, who thought it looked as if she often wore the same clothes to Parliament sittings.

“My colleagues in PSP will demand that I be more forceful, and yet not too aggressive; I must still be gentle and womanly,” she said.

“Apart from being logical, I also need to dress well and be presentable on camera. These are things that I feel are not expected of men to the same extent.”

During her initial years in politics, Ms Lim also said she felt pressure from some quarters to speak up more on women’s issues.

“I told them: ‘Look, I’m a party leader. I cannot be pigeonholed into just women’s issues. I will not be making a fair contribution that way’,” she said, adding that men rarely have such worries.

She does not spend much time thinking about whether she looks perfect.

“Being someone that has been around for a while, you tend to care less for these things because you’re getting older anyway,” she said.

Taking extra time to consider

The first time she was asked to be a PAP candidate in 2011, Ms Rahayu discussed the matter with her now-husband and turned the party down.

Approached again before the 2015 General Election, she said yes, believing she had her husband’s support – “a misunderstanding on my part”, she said.

Her busy schedule as a new MP ate up family time and strained the marriage.

“He didn’t want to be in this and was kind of swept into it,” Ms Rahayu said.

Their relationship has improved after she intentionally carved out family time.

But such anecdotes reflect why women may think twice before committing to politics, and first secure their families’ buy-in.

Ms Poa said women who join the PSP tend to do so only with their loved ones’ support, while “quite a number” of men would join despite their spouses’ objections.

Perhaps women take a more collaborative stance in life and prefer consensus, she suggested.

She and her husband Tony Tan entered politics at about the same time, contesting under the National Solidarity Party banner in the 2011 General Election.

“That experience was really taxing,” she said. The couple had earlier adopted two children and set up various businesses. Although she rejoined politics after a break, her husband did not.

Ms Poa said part of her confidence in joining politics stemmed from her upbringing. Growing up, her parents showed no gender bias and taught her to be independent.

Likewise, it was attending a girls’ school in her formative years that exposed Ms Rachel Ong to leadership opportunities and community service.

Ms Ong, who joined politics in 2020, asked for more time to get her work squared away before stepping up.

The entrepreneur said yes only when she was convinced that both organisations she was involved in were relatively established.

Ms Ong, who is single, acknowledged that her considerations were different from those of her peers.

“I think that if I were to have kids, especially young kids, I would like to (focus on) being a mother,” she said.

Ms Lim said it is difficult to convince her party’s “healthy number” of women volunteers and members to stand for elections.

Deterrents may include being a public figure and the added stress of representing the opposition, as well as potentially having to confront the Government if elected, she added.

“Some of them may feel that they cannot imagine themselves debating with a minister in Parliament,” Ms Lim said.

She added: “It’s not easy, even for me... (But) somebody’s got to do it. If we want Parliament to be a microcosm of society, there must be women in Parliament, women must be seen and heard in Parliament.”

Improving representation over the years

Singapore has come a long way in increasing female representation in Parliament.

In the early years of independence, politicians likely drew from unionists and student groups, with greater gender equality, said Dr Tan.

The subsequent decades saw many women prioritising the familial role, while men occupied most leadership roles – which is reflected in the dry spell of women MPs from 1970 to 1984.

By the early 1990s, there was renewed awareness and pressure for gender diversity in Parliament, and more female professionals, as well as those from unions and academia, were brought into the fold, said Dr Tan.

This shift was in line with the changing role of women in society.

Today, women from three political parties have seats in the House, and women’s issues are aired at the national level.

In 2021, a WP parliamentary motion on women’s empowerment was passed unanimously after an amendment.

A year later, the Government unveiled its White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development, the culmination of a year-long nationwide engagement.

While the number of women in Parliament matters, the positions these women hold are equally important, said Ms Lim.

She hopes to see women take on ministries that have typically been helmed by men.

“But, of course, we have to find people who are suitable for the job, and that’s always the challenge,” she added.

The Republic needs a leadership team that reflects the diversity in society, said Dr Tan.

“We need all the best people who have the relevant qualifications, experience, commitment, passion, aptitude, temperament and personality to be in politics, regardless of gender. It should be a meritocracy pertaining to all the above attributes paired with equality of opportunity, regardless of gender,” he added.

Women are just as capable – or may even bring something extra.

Ms Poa suggested that women see things in a more holistic manner, especially when they have experience juggling different roles.

“They don’t just think of economics only, but also social and family factors,” she said.

Ms Anthea Ong added: “We are expecting increasing political contestation, but I think more women in politics could see more collaboration and consensus.”

As mindsets on roles change, so must the institutions within society.

Building an ecosystem that would support women in making the choice to step into politics would encourage more to do so, said the women MPs.

Singaporeans – men and women alike – must become more mature and learn to acknowledge and celebrate women politicians who are more outspoken and assertive, said Ms Anthea Ong.

“For those who continue to pick on women politicians (regarding) their fashion choices, appearance and/or family arrangements, please grow up! We all have a role to play if we want to ensure our mothers, daughters, wives... and in fact, all vulnerable populations, are all fairly represented in the highest halls,” she said.

Creating this ecosystem includes making necessary accommodations, with men included in the conversation, to support fairer and more inclusive policies.

Ms Rahayu recounted the support she was given in 2020, when her son was hospitalised for a brain infection.

Knowing that the general election was near and unsure how much time and attention her son would need, she had offered to step down.

But Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, then anchor minister for Jurong GRC, affirmed that she was still a valuable team member. “It’s a marathon,” he had said. “We still want you and let’s work this out together.”

After the election, Ms Rahayu was asked if she would take political office as a parliamentary secretary. This would typically involve being attached to two ministries.

But Mr Tharman discussed this with then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and they agreed to ease her in with one ministry first.

“I was very grateful that they were accommodating and that they still asked me,” said Ms Rahayu, who now holds two portfolios as a minister of state.

These changes will allow women to make their own informed decisions to join politics – a freedom they deserve, said the MPs.

“I wouldn’t wish people into (this job) if they’re not ready, and I wouldn’t judge people for not wanting to do it,” Ms Rahayu said.

“Because if you’re truly about giving women choices, let her make her choice and let her be okay with it.”

She likened it to the ecosystem of support surrounding the push to encourage women to breastfeed, or to support their return to work after maternity leave.

“I hope that we are very conscious that as we are attracting women, we understand what are some of the concerns, and we address that meaningfully... and come up with creative solutions to work around them,” said Ms Rahayu.

Ms Rachel Ong said potential candidates should consider the trade-offs in making the decision.

Since getting elected, she has missed out on spending time with her sister and nieces in Canada, as she used to spend several weeks over Christmas with them.

“Now, if I can get five days, it’s a luxury – because more than five means missing one MPS,” she said, referring to the Meet-the-People Session.

For herself, she had come in with her eyes open.

“It’s not like somebody drags us and makes us sign. We willingly said yes, and so don’t complain. Don’t grumble. When times are hard, just push on.”

The end goal

There is no magic number of women politicians for Singapore to aspire towards. However, the shared understanding among political parties seems to be that more female representation is needed.

Women currently hold close to a third of the PAP’s parliamentary seats. In his August remarks, PM Wong did not set a target for how many women he plans to field.

Asked about the recruitment of women candidates, PAP Women’s Wing chair Sim Ann said the party looks both externally and within its ranks.

“Women’s Wing members with strong personal qualities and a good track record of service will be amongst those who are considered,” said Ms Sim, who is Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs.

Ms Rahayu said: “We want to bring women in, but it is not a women versus men type of issue.”

The starting point must be to first appreciate the diversity that recruiting more women brings to the team, and then to create a sustainable and assuring ecosystem for every participant, she added.

For the WP, about one in five candidates fielded is a woman. Ms Lim hopes to see this proportion double.

“That’ll be a milestone,” she said. “But it’s a hard slog.”

The party has lost two promising young women in recent years – former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan and former Youth Wing president Nicole Seah.

“Every loss to us is a heartbreak because we have fewer people,” Ms Lim said. “So, we have to rebuild.”

Women make up 20 per cent to 30 per cent of the PSP, although it hopes to get even more women to join.

One statistic Ms Poa said she continually hawks to would-be candidates is that women appear to have a higher chance of winning.

She pointed out that 27 of the 40 women fielded in the last general election were elected, making for a 67.5 per cent success rate.

In contrast, 66 of the 151 men fielded were elected – a 43.7 per cent success rate.

Within her party, women who have run in central executive committee elections have all succeeded so far.

Ms Sim added that women who persevere in the traditionally male-dominated field of electoral politics are doing their part to change mindsets about women in leadership.

“Women in politics bond with one another quite readily over our shared challenges,” she said of her party colleagues.

“These range from balancing family and work, developing our leadership styles, to handling the additional layer of scrutiny and public expectation that tends to follow women in the public eye.”

Source: Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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