The deputy, who works full-time as a pharmacist, has been present at just eight of 23 committee meetings held by Health & Social Care and 13 out of 19 committee meetings held by Home Affairs since the start of the States term in July.
The presidents of both committees have offered her their support, though it is known that some politicians feel such an attendance record could be cause for resignation.
Deputy Andy Sloan said that given the large number of committee meetings – most committees are meeting weekly – he was ‘impressed’ at Deputy Malik’s attendance record.
‘Munazza brings invaluable experience, expertise and insight to the States,’ he said.
‘We cannot have the situation where being a deputy is only open to those who do not work. That road leads to a paucity of talent and weak decision-making.’
Deputy Sloan was formerly a senior civil servant.
‘In my view such large numbers of meetings betrays a situation where deputies are drawn into a quasi-managerial role where the boundary between administrative and political spheres are blurred with an accompanying loss of accountability – a situation I find all too common in the States.’
St Peter Port parish constable Diane Mitchell also said that Deputy Malik had not missed a parish douzaine meeting – she has been a member of the St Peter Port douzaine for a couple of years – since she was elected to the States in June.
‘Her contribution is excellent and she is valued for her expertise and insightfulness,’ she said.
‘Attendance is only one aspect of a person’s worth. Much can happen behind the scenes, reading papers, asking questions, thoughtful interaction, so much more valuable than mere attendance.’
Bella Farrell, a colleague of Deputy Malik on the Home Affairs Committee, where she serves as a non-voting member, argued against the idea that a deputy could not hold a professional role at the same time.
‘What is needed are flexible employers and colleagues who can also flex when meetings are held. I can assure you this person is one of the hardest working people I know and the experience of her day job, her intelligence and her ability to hold her head up to the accusations thrown at her inspires me,’ she said in a post on the story on the Guernsey Press Facebook page.
Former deputy Sue Aldwell also commented on the story. ‘Spinning plates is difficult, the commitment of being a parliamentarian, attending States meetings, committee meetings, preparation time, hundreds of pages to digest each week, depending on the committee and holding down a job, takes a great deal of planning,’ she said.
‘We are fortunate to have such a hardworking, highly motivated deputy in our States Assembly, we should be supporting and encouraging more to stand.’
Deputy Jayne Ozanne, whose attendance record on Education, Sport & Culture was just 65% before she resigned from the committee late last year, explained that her mother’s death and stay in a hospice had impacted her attendance record on that committee.
Almost all States committees meet during the working day, but over the years a handful have held formal committee meetings out of standard office hours, usually in the early evening.