KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the government is always willing to discuss with non-governmental organisations (NGO) over the sexual abuse of Penan women and girls in Sarawak.
"They need not demonstrate as we always provide them the space to voice their opinion," she said when commenting on the peaceful demonstration by 27 NGOs in front of the Prime Minister's Department this morning.
Shahrizat was shocked to learn that one of those involved was the head of a special committee formed by the ministry.
"I was shocked that Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah was involved as she was head of the speicial team.
"We don't know why they did this but we can't discount there was a hidden agenda," she told reporters after launching a Ramadan programme here Wednesday.
She said the ministry would be having a meeting on the Penan women development programme with the Sarawak Chief Minister's Department on Oct 6.
Several government agencies and NGOs would be involved.
The minister rejected a claim by NGOs that Penan women and children had been marginalised from mainstream development as a lot of programmes had been implemented.
"The claim is baseless as it only referred to those left behind. There are others who have big houses and cars with successful children," she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment