DAP Women's chief Chong Eng feels like she is close to the glass ceiling.

Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen wants to break that glass ceiling in the MCA but fears the power of the male chauvinists.

Is there no place for Malaysian women at the very top where politics is concerned?

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi thinks a woman could be prime minister of Malaysia one day.

Why not, as Malaysian women don't really have to prove themselves in almost every field -- they make up 56.2 per cent of dentists, 45.7 per cent of lawyers, 44 per cent of accountants, 47.2 per cent of doctors and 34.3 per cent of veterinarians. The numbers can only grow, given that more than 50 per cent of undergraduates are women.
But in politics, women seem to be in a supporting role. MCA's Ng has high hopes and is highly regarded but when she hinted that she may go for the top post, the men went "Urgh...."

Even Wanita Umno's Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, described as Iron Lady, can't go higher.

Her members have always been recognised for their Amazonian efforts to help the party and other Barisan Nasional component members.

So what's holding the women back?

Political analyst Wong Chin Huat says the answer lies in the electoral system.

He argues that the present first-past-the-post (FPTP) system works against women in politics.

He cites countries like Germany and New Zealand, which use a combination of the FPTP system and the party-list proportional representation (party-list PR) system.

The success of the party-list PR system, which is based on the premise that you vote for the party, not the person, is evident in most Northern European countries where there is a high percentage of women in high public office.

The FPTP system pits women against men and the women could lose in marginal seats.

The minority also tend to be neglected in the FPTP system, whereas under the party-list PR system, minority groups can give their votes to parties sympathetic to their cause -- such as empowering women.

Another problem "blocking" women is that those seeking elective office under the FPTP need to turun padang.

This can deter women from participating in politics for fear of having to be "on the ground" to campaign.

The party-list PR system allows women politicians to focus on the functional constituency of women and other groups and speak about policy matters in Parliament, rather than going from house to house to speak on general issues.

Currently, there are two Malaysian women who are heading political parties. However, there is a big BUT after the names of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Indian Progressive Front president Puan Sri G. Jayashree.

Dr Wan Azizah, as everyone knows, is just holding the post for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

She duly confirmed it by stepping aside as MP for Permatang Pauh almost as soon as he could contest.

Jayashree's "rise" is almost a mirror image of politics in the Indian sub-continent where spouses or children take over when the head passes on.

When Tan Sri G. Pandithan died, she took over but there is a question mark over whether she is truly in control.

That, so far, seems to be the only route to the top.

Since there is little likelihood of a change in the electoral system, it seems the only glass a Malaysian woman will break is if she accidentally drops her glass while toasting the new leader.