Heng: Living skills can help ease urban poverty

News Date: Mon, 2010-11-29
By OTK Info Unit



Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie (Centre) and Pandan MP Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat with the Sari One Malaysia participants who each received a Janome Multi-purpose sewing machine from Heng and a certificate of participation from Ong - OTK Info Unit pix by Fan Jia Wei

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 29, 2010): The government is finalising a list of living skills course programmes to tackle urban poverty.
Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator

Heng Seai Kie said the programmes would be communal development-based, aimed at helping the needy to acquire skills for income-generation.

“It is a shift in community development and poverty eradication strategy. Instead of the traditional way of just giving out monetary aid, we are now training the needy to become self-reliant.

“We hope to launch the programmes, covering all races, nationwide in January,” she said at the presentation of Janome multi-purpose sewing machines to 16 single-mothers who completed a five-day intensive course on creative sewing under the ministry’s Sari One Malaysia Programme.

The presentation was held in Pandan Indah’s Menara MPAJ this morning.

She said Sari was a maiden effort aimed at helping Indian single-mothers to become self-reliant by teaching them how to sew soft toys, recyclable bags and many other custom-ordered door gifts for sale.

“Next year, we will have a range of similar communal development programmes for the Malay and Chinese communities, and also multi-racial-suited courses,” she added.

Heng said Pandan MP Dato’ Sri Ong Tee Keat was the first MP to approach the ministry to organise Sari for Pandan and Ampang single-mothers who wanted to become financially independent for their family.

“The Sari participants were also each given a RM150 allowance and provided meals to undergo the five-day course conducted for free,” she said.

Heng said the single-mothers received a Janome multi-purpose sewing machine costing about RM2,900 each to enable them to use their newly acquired skills for income-generating activities.

“Their progress would be monitored for a year by professional trainers engaged by the ministry to teach the single-mothers. They will also provide consultation and advice on marketing and networking,” she added.

Heng urged non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector that had practical ideas on community development to submit their proposals or working papers to the ministry.

“We will then evaluate the proposals and decide whether to adopt them for our programmes,” she added.

She said the ministry had launched more than 1,000 poverty-eradication programmes since 2004 and “we are now focusing on synergising our efforts and initiatives with NGOs and the private sector”.

Heng said the ministry’s efforts would only be more effective with a positive change in the mindset of individuals.

“They must be willing to embrace the right attitude of seeking to be independent financially, not just waiting for handouts.

“They must be aware of progress, the sensitivities to make change to seize opportunities and the readiness to be fully committed to the welfare and needs of the family institution,” she said.

“We are now fully aware and wary of the need for long-term solutions and programmes in poverty eradication. Poverty exists all over the world and therefore this is not a race issue.

“Community development programmes are therefore our priority for the future of 1Malaysia,” she added.

Pandan MP Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat presenting a momento to Women, Family, and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie in appreciation of her invite to help Pandan and Ampang Single-Mothers through her Ministry's Sari One Malaysia Programme - OTK Info Unit pix by Fan Jia Wei

Living-skills courses to help the needy become self-reliant

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 26, 2010): Specially tailored living-skills courses are to be launched to help the needy, especially women and single-mothers, to become self-reliant.

Pandan MP Dato’ Sri Ong Tee Keat said the previous practice of giving out financial aid to the poor and needy was no long-term solution.

“We (OTK Service Centre) are now coordinating with Women, Family and Community Development Ministry on developing the intensive courses under various programmes.

“The courses will be structured according to both communal and multi-racial relevance, depending on the needs and type of skills.

“We have to do this because some skills are only relevant to certain races while others are suitable to everyone,” Ong said after visiting the Pandan Jaya wet market this morning.

He conducted a personal inspection of a group of 16 women, including single-mothers, who were “graduating” from a five-day Sari One Malaysia intensive creative sewing course which started on Monday (Nov 22).

The women, from the Indian community in Pandan and Ampang, set up stall at the market, under the guidance of professional trainers, to market their “handicraft” that included soft toys, recyclable green bags and other custom-made door gifts.

Most of the materials used to sew the products, using Jenome multi-purpose sewing machines, are recycled that included rags.

Ong said the trainers, professionals engaged by the ministry, would monitor and provide guidance to the women for a year to ensure they become “self-reliant entrepreneurs”.

“The women are the pioneer group of participants for Sari One Malaysia which is the brainchild of deputy minister Senator Heng Seai Kei.

“We are now in the midst of finalising various courses suitable for needy Chinese and Malay communities, besides courses that are suitable for all races,” he said.

For example, he told reporters in a briefing that the Chinese full moon (month-long confinement period after birth for women) maid service was a dying trade.

“So are the services of Chinese wedding masters of ceremony. For the Malays, we are looking into courses like hairstyling, bakery and even vehicle garage management (receptionist, stockist, etc) for women,” he said.

Ong said all the courses would cover marketing strategies to enable course participants to become entrepreneurs in the long-run.
The women, who had two Janome sewing machines at the stall to showcase what they learnt, attracted curious crowds who were doing their morning marketing.


Pandan MP Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat inspecting the Sari Satu Malaysia stall in the Pandan Jaya wet market - OTK Info Unit pic by Fan Jia Wei

Give more attention to community development programmes

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 24, 2010): Pandan MP Dato’ Sri Ong Tee Keat says elected representatives should spend more time coordinating and organising programmes promoting community development.

“There is just too much politicking. Too much time is being wasted when more attention should be given to help the people acquire living skills.

“Single mothers and women who need help to enable them to be independent and self-reliant is one sector of the Malaysian community that needs the government and our attention,” he added.

Ong spoke when he inspected the progress of a “Creative Sewing Course” in the Pandan Indah Commercial Park in Ampang yesterday.

The Nov 22 to 26 course, promoted by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry with the support of the OTK Service Centre, is attended by 16 women.

The course is under the ministry’s Sari Satu Malaysia programme currently being promoted aggressively by its deputy minister Senator Heng Seai Kie.

The five-day course is specially tailored by professionals engaged by the ministry to help single mothers and women to acquire living skills to become financially independent.

The women are taught how to operate Janome’s multi-purpose sewing machines to make cushion covers, reusable bags, door gifts like soft toys, and others, for sale.

Ong thanked Heng and her ministry for working with his centre to help the Pandan women folk.

He also commended Heng for working tirelessly to promote her ministry’s various welfare and community programmes that benefited a wide spectrum of needy Malaysians nationwide.

Pandan MP Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat being briefed by a course facilitator as the women participants concentrate on their sewing in a training facility in Pandan Indah Commercial Park - OTK info unit pic by Fan Jia Wei

No baby dumping cases for 15999 hotline

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 10, 2010): The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s Talian Nur hotline has never received any call related to baby dumping cases.

The hotline, set up on Dec 5, 2007, has up to Nov 7, 2010, received 125,721 calls, of which only 38,437 of the calls (31%) were productive cases (productive means related).

Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said 29 call agents, comprising various races, were manning the 24-hour 15999 line.

“They are able to respond to callers in Bahasa Melayu, English, Tamil, Mandarin, Iban, Bidayuh, Bahasa Melayu Sarawak, Hokkien, Kadazan dan Dusun,” she said in reply to an oral question from Datuk Abd Rahman Bakri (BN-Sabak Bernam) in Parliament today.

Abd Rahman had asked the minister to state the number of calls Talian Nur had received to date and the number of cases it handled, including baby-dumping.

Heng said of the productive cases, 34,221 (89%) of the calls were resolved by the call agents and 4,216 cases (11%) were referred to the ministry’s agency, concern for further action.

The breakdown and nature of the productive cases is:
CHILDREN-related cases (3,002 or 7.8%);
 PHYSICALLY-challenged cases (1,142 or 3.2%);
 SENIOR citizens and family cases (3,271 or 8.5%);
 REQUEST for aid cases (13,986 or 36.4%);
 COUNSELLING and psychiatric cases (6.031 or 15.7%); and
 LEGAL cases (242 or 0.6%).
Heng also provided Talian Nur’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that required networking with any one or more of 25 agencies and government departments available to resolve cases.

15999 援助专线 - 没有接过任何弃婴投报

（吉隆坡10讯）
妇女、家庭与社会发展部今日表示，该部24小时援助专线15999，未曾接到过任何有关弃婴案件的投报。

这条自2007年12月5日设置启用的热线，截至今年11月7日为止，总共收到125,721通电话，其中38,437通电话（或占31%），是属于有建设性个案（建设性的意思是确有其事）。

妇女、家庭与社会发展部副部长王赛芝上议员，今日指出，15999专线共有29位接听专员，包含不同种族，24小时提供服务。

“他们有能力以国语、英语、淡米尔语、华语、伊班语、比达友语、砂拉越马来语、闽南语、卡达山及杜顺语回答任何询问”，王赛芝今日在国会回答沙白安南区国会议员拿督阿都拉曼巴克利（国阵）提问时，如此表示。

拿督阿都拉曼巴克利要求妇女、家庭与社会发展部，提供自推介使用15999援助专线以来，所接获的电话投报总数，以及包括弃婴案件在内，所处理的个案宗数。

王赛芝表示，在38,437通有建设性的电话当中，其中的34,221通（或占89% ）所提问题，已经由接听专员解决，有4,216通电话（或占11%）所提问题，则专介到部门其它相关单位，以便采取进一步行动协助解决问题。

到目前为止，所处理的有建设性投报个案种类及性质包括：
 儿童相关案件 - 3,002宗，或占 7.8%;
 生理残疾咨商 - 1,142宗，或占3.2%;
 高龄国民及家庭事务 - 3,271宗，或占 8.5%;
 要求援助与救济 - 13,986宗，或占36.4%;
 精神疾病方面专业咨询 - 6.031宗，或占15.7%; 以及
 法律事务咨询 – 242宗，或占0.6%.

王赛芝同时也揭示了15999援助专线标准运作程序（SOP），显示整个运作体系内，多达25个单位以及政府部门待命协助解决问题。

CSOs key partner for child rights development in Malaysia

BEIJING (Nov 11, 2010): Working closely with civil society organisations (CSOs) is Malaysia’s strategic policy to deliver quality services for children.

“As active stakeholders with primary access to the realities and challenges on the ground, CSOs can effectively help the government collate data, providing inputs at the grassroots level for incorporation into our programmes and policies,” Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said.

She said a good example of such collaboration was the development of Childline 15999, a child-friendly 24-hour hotline service for children to call and report child maltreatment cases.

“The Talian Nur 15999 24-hour hotline number is also accessible to anyone for reporting suspected child abuse and other social ills afflicting families and societies,” she said at a three-day (Nov 4 to 6, 2010) high-level meeting on child rights development here.

“Together with UNICEF, Malaysia is setting the agenda for the child and family welfare and juvenile justice reform.

“We acknowledge that there is a need to review our current legal and policy frameworks to capture the current realities of an ever changing society afflicting middle income countries.

“This includes the development of a Social Workers Act which is due to be tabled in Parliament in 2011, and upgrading our primary, secondary and tertiary education services.

“In this regard, Malaysia has undertaken significant responses and intervention measures such as the deployment of child protectors and the establishment of child activity centres and child care home,” she said.

Heng said changing times brought about new social complexities, encompassing issues challenging abused children, the neglected and mistreated.

“Mechanisms, legislation and policies that were previously put into place might not necessarily address evolving needs sufficiently. Some of the woes include:

• SHORTFALLS in certified professional staff to handle primary, secondary and tertiary interventions;
• LEGAL and policy frameworks that do not capture the current realities of a changing society that a middle income country is facing;
• CURRENT service structures are inadequate to handle complex issues faced by women, family and children; and
• INTER-MINISTRY linkages need to be strengthened to effectively address pressing issues, for example in the areas of reproductive health and education, human trafficking and stateless children.
  

“Appropriate interventions at different levels are necessary for us to remain effective and relevant. Child abuse can be prevented and proactive measures must be institutionalised in our evolving child protection system,” Heng said.

M’sia rapidly developing socio-economic needs, target, says Heng

BEIJING (Nov 10, 2010): Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie says Malaysia is rapidly developing its socio-economic needs and targets

“Our social development agenda is structured in tandem with our economic development agenda.

“We have placed children in the forefront of its development agenda in line with the country’s Vision 2020 mission. We believe that investing in children development not only equates to investing in the country’s future human capital bank, it is also a holistic approach to human capital development of our citizens.

“This is evidently featured with the inclusion of multiple national development strategies, like the upcoming 10th Malaysian Plan 2011-2015 in which the government is prioritising the protection and well being of children.”

Sharing Malaysia’s proactive experience in addressing child rights issues at a three-day high-level meeting (Nov 4 to 6, 2010) here, Heng said several key milestones had been achieved. They are:

• Ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1995. Malaysia first signed the Convention with an initial 12 reservations, which we are gradually withdrawing in stages. In 1998, Malaysia withdrew 5 reservations: Articles 22, 28 (1) (b) (c) (d) and (e), 40 (3) and (4), 44 and 45. Just recently, in July 2010, Malaysia went on to withdraw 3 more reservations – Article 1, 3, and 15, leaving another 5 remaining reservations (articles 2, 7, 14, 28(1) and 37). At present, Malaysia is also studying the possibility of ratifying the 2 Optional Protocols under the CRC;
  
• In 2004, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development was established, and became the primary government agency to handle issues of concern relating to family, women and children. This laid the foundations for an effective and operational child protection system, whereby thereafter, the Child Division was set up in 2005 under one of the ministry’s agencies, the Department of Social Welfare. This move allowed the Government to handle and administer matters pertaining to children more effectively; and
  
• The development of effective legislation and policies to institutionalise and operationalise child protection. These include the Child Act 2001, as well as the National Policy on Children and the National Child Protection Policy, as well as their corresponding Plans of Action, which were approved by the government in July 2009.
  Heng said the implementation of measures that reflected the government commitment to children under the 10th Malaysia Plan include:
  
• MEASURES to ensure the protection and well-being of children by enhancing the quality of childcare services;
  
• STRENGTHENING related support programmes including capacity building of caregivers and upgrading existing welfare institutions such as rehabilitation centres and child welfare homes; and
  
• SCREENING of child carers by the Royal Malaysian Police Force is one example aimed at addressing child abuse issues.
  

M’sia proposes portal for child rights in south-south countries

BEIJING (Nov 9, 2010): Malaysia last week called for the setting up of a portal on child protection systems to advance child rights in south-south countries.

“The portal can serve as a depository information exchange centre for countries to share good practices on child protection initiatives,” Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said at a three-day high-level meeting which opened in Beijing on Nov 4, 2010.

Outlining Malaysia’s child protection policy approach and experience, she said the South-South Information Gateway (SSIG) under the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry was an example of “our proactive strategy in tackling the issue”.

“Through the SSIG, we hope to learn from other countries how they are able to promote efficient inter-ministerial collaboration to:

• SHARE best practices in the social workers sector with south-south countries through a knowledge transfer medium such as UNICEF; and
• STUDY the possibility of providing social work education and accreditation for the East Asia Pacific (EAP), whereby Malaysia’s Social Workers Act will enable those interested to undertake social work careers with international standard practices.

“We sincerely hope that together, we are able to advance and strengthen children’s rights not only in our respective countries, but regionally across the Asia Pacific Region,” she added.

厘清加腊士事件

针对上周末加腊士推撞事件的一些欠实说法，我特此发表书面文告，以正视听。

1.当时由于我赶场在即，不能接见所谓的“全民挺明福组织”，因此曾二度向苏志海（已故赵明福的妻舅）建议翌日在加腊士当地会面，惟对方不得要领。过后，我再次建议他们可另作预约，以便在其他日期及地点会见。我再三做此建议，无非是因为我责无旁贷，准备将他们的心声向政府反映使然。惟这也同样不获任何回应。

至于“全民挺明福组织”所谓因不能在首都见到我本人，故才远赴加腊士之说，我必须说清楚讲明白，由始至终，他们不曾向我的办公室做出任何的预约。

2．由于上周末有关的推撞事件已经投案，我认为警方必须尽速彻查，并依法处理。我将就此事，联络总警长，作进一步的跟进。

3.有鉴于今次的事件同要求政府开设皇家调查庭处理赵明福案有关，我认为兹事体大，特将此案呈上马华总会长拿督斯里蔡细历及丹州联马华联委会主席拿督斯里黄燕燕，以求定夺。
我个人认为维护司法独立公正，乃朝野双方的共同职责与意愿。马华作为政府成员，当然必须本着尊重民意、纾解民困的精神来协助处理此案。

Facts distorted in Galas incident

I hereby express my regret over several distortions of facts linked to the incident in the MCA function at Galas last Saturday (Oct 30, 2010).
Despite the deliberate distortions perpetrated by certain quarters, the plain fact remains as follows:

(1) On the said evening, due to my tight schedule prior arranged, I had to leave the venue prematurely but I did offer to meet Soh and his members of “Malaysians for Beng Hock” the following day at Galas but that was unfortunately rejected by Soh and his group for whatever reasons best known to them.
Nonetheless, I still offered to hear them out at any convenient time and venue that could be arranged later. But again this was not responded positively.
On their claim that they had purportedly failed to meet me at Kuala Lumpur, I must categorically deny that my office had ever been approached by any one of the group members for appointment arrangement.

(2) On the above-mentioned incident, as it is now a police case, I would communicate with the IGP to seek his assistance in expediting the investigation, if possible.
At the same time, I empathise with Soh over the incident.
I urge the police to treat the assault report lodged by Soh seriously.
I appeal to the police to expedite the probe in the name of justice and to bring to book the culprits, if any, responsible for the incident at the MCA rally.

(3) As regards to the Teoh Beng Hock case, the petition for the inception of Royal Commission is of grave concern to the public. As a deputy minister myself, I am duty-bound to report the issue to my Party President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Kelantan MCA liaison chief Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen to seek the party’s decision and guidance.
In the name of safeguarding the judiciary independence, I believe both sides of the political divide share the responsibilities in addressing the concerns concertedly in the interests of the people. MCA being a senior partner of the coalition government would be sensitive to the aspirations and demands of the people in wanting to address the said issue justly and swiftly.