The persistence of workplace gender discrimination: an examination of Malaysia through the lens of institutional logics.

Through the lens of institutional logics, our study examined workplace gender
equality in terms of pregnancy discrimination in Malaysia. We applied a multi-disciplinary approach and reviewed in detail the relevant international conventions, local statues, documented evidence on Islamic influence on gender roles, and the gender role survey results from the World Values Survey. We concluded that Malaysia had provided more legal protection to pregnant women in the civil service than those in the private sector despite being a signatory to international treaties against discrimination. We also identified that instead of actively promoting women’s rights in the workplace, both had the government and the judiciary have not played the role of an institutional entrepreneur;
rather, both have been relatively quiescent in this regard. We attributed that to a hoary Islamic interpretation of women’s role, and the government’s reluctance to upset the perceived conservative values of society. Our study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of institutional development related to gender equality in Malaysia.