A bill to amend the Employment Act in Malaysia aimed at inserting a new section on paternity leave was tabled in Parliament this week, reports Malay Mail. The proposed amendments, among others, are to comply with standards and practices as required by the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, the Malaysia-United States Labour Consistency Plan and the International Labour Organisation. It is also to provide for protection against discrimination and forced labour as well as to include provisions for maternity benefit. The new section on paternity leave states: “(1) A married male employee shall be entitled to a paid paternity leave at his ordinary rate of pay for a period of three consecutive days in respect of each confinement; (2) the paternity leave under subsection (1) shall be restricted to five confinements irrespective of the number of spouses.