Shahrizat: Government willing to discuss Penan issue

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 special team.

“We don’t know why they did this but we can’t discount a hidden agenda,” she told reporters after launching a Ramadan programme here today.

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.

Newspaper reports last year said that seven Penan women and girls in Baram had been raped and molested by loggers. – Bernama


comments


What more to discuss ??? Act now & arrest the culprit !!! Suspend the logging company !!!

Government machinery are all serving as a tool for UMNO BN !!!
From executive to judiciary's CJ Zaki Azmi, AG, Police IGP, MACC, EC, MCMC and even exploiting the Monarchy, UMNO held it all from top to bottom & inside out!!!