Monday October 18, 2010

Shahrizat: Better benefits will boost women’s roles

PETALING JAYA: The move to grant flexible maternity leave up to 90 days to women civil servants will motivate more of them to stay in the workforce, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

She said the Government’s efforts to develop women’s roles and contribution to the economy had also been boosted with a RM30mil fund for various programmes such as the Single Mothers’ Skills Incubator.

“Such steps and others like the Small Office Home Office concept for disabled women will help the Government to achieve 55% in the participation of women in the labour force,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Sharizat said the RM1.2bil allocation in Budget 2011 for the ministry demonstrated the Government’s commitment to the people’s social welfare.

“It proves that the Government is putting more effort into improving the social welfare system in transforming the country into a high-income nation,” she said.

She said RM197mil had also been allocated under the National Key Result Areas to enable households with low earnings to live independently and seek their own income.

“This approach will definitely help more households to get out of poverty,” she added.

Shahrizat said a RM70mil allocation to help non-governmental organisations fight social illnesses was a good measure in taking a holistic approach to deal with problems at the grassroots level.

“This amount is a recognition of the NGO’s important role as a strategic partner with the Government in implementing community development programmes,” she said.

Shahrizat said the people also welcomed the waiving of excise duties for disabled people buying national cars.

“The move is in line with the ministry’s initiatives to give disabled people greater accessibility and mobility. Having a car will also improve their employability,” she said.