Budget 2027: 98-Day Maternity Leave Allows Women to Balance Careers and Childcare

KUALA LUMPUR: The extension of maternity leave to a maximum of 98 days per childbirth is a recognition of women’s needs in balancing work responsibilities, postpartum recovery and childcare.

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Applied Psychology, Policy and Social Work Studies, Associate Professor Dr Rajwani Md Zain, said the longer leave period gives mothers more time to adjust to life after childbirth.

She said that, from a child’s welfare perspective, the time mothers spend with their babies during the early stages of life is crucial for building strong bonds and better understanding their infants’ needs.

The increase in total maternity leave entitlement to 490 days throughout their service also provides greater flexibility for female civil servants to utilise the benefit for subsequent childbirths, subject to implementation regulations.

Commenting on the RM20 million allocation to improve childcare centres at government facilities, Rajwani said these facilities must provide a safe, high-quality and easily accessible environment, managed by trained caregivers.

“These facilities can help reduce parents’ concerns about their children’s safety while they are at work, particularly given current social issues such as abuse and accidents,” she said.

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy, Associate Professor Dr Janice Nga, said the extension of maternity leave to 98 days per childbirth was a positive development, although concerns remained that the measure could influence employers’ decisions when hiring female workers.

Janice, who is also Head of the Planning and Development Economics Cluster at the UMS Centre for Economic Development and Policy (CEDP), said greater attention should be given to investment in skills training related to artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help persons with disabilities (PWDs) achieve independence and avoid being left behind by technological advancements.

BERNAMA