By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, May 31: Sarawak Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has expressed concern over the apparent gender imbalance in university enrolment across various faculties in the country, describing it as a worrying trend that warrants urgent attention from policymakers.
He highlighted the shift in gender dominance, especially in faculties like engineering which used to be male-dominated in the 1970s and 1980s.
“Nowadays, these faculties are increasingly being dominated by women. Practically every faculty. This is a situation that needs to be looked into by the top leadership,” he said when speaking during a dialogue session titled ‘Sembang Santai bersama Pemimpin Sarawak’ in conjunction with Satok Youth Xtive Carnival 2025 at the Satok Sports Complex last night (May 30).
The dialogue session was moderated by Asri Hazwan Harun, chairman of Kelab Belia Prihatin Bandar Kuching (KBPBK).
While Abdul Karim clarified that he fully supports women achieving success and believes both men and women should progress together, he warned that the current imbalance could lead to long-term socio-economic consequences.
“If 70 to 80 per cent of students in a particular faculty are women, naturally the graduates will also be predominantly women.
“When it comes to job applications in both the private sector and public service, these are based on academic credentials and capabilities.
“If the best credentials come mostly from women, then it will be women who dominate the workforce,” he explained.
He further stressed that his views were personal but suggested that the government may need to look into correcting this imbalance to ensure equal representation and opportunity.
Despite this concern, Abdul Karim reiterated his confidence in the youth of today, describing them as the future heirs of society, Sarawak, and the country. – DayakDaily
