Pakatan pledges RM600 a year for housewives

 

Pakatan Rakyat has pledge to establish a savings fund for women, should it take over Putrajaya, in which the federal government would contribute RM50 a month for every account holder.

Dubbed the National Women's Contribution Fund, the fund aims to act as a savings scheme, which will also provide aid for women facing medical problems or are affected by crisis.

The plan also involves encouraging husbands to contribute between RM10 to RM100 monthly for their spouses.

"We will start contributing for housewives with no jobs," said Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin at a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

Zuraida said this during the soft launch of the Malaysian Women's Agenda, which intends to improve legislations and other aspects to improve the lives of women.

Pakatan's plans also include using RM5 billion to set up the fund and a chain of service centres known as the Integrated Women’s Support Centres (PADU).

"PADU will be established nationwide to ensure the provisions of more crisis and counselling centres and empowerment centres of NGOs who support our efforts,” said Wanita DAP chief Chong Eng.

Pakatan's agenda for women also includes the promotion of women's rights, said Muslimat PAS chief Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof.

“In this way, we can reduce the violence and sexual threats, as well as the marginalisation of women through education,” she said.

Chong said Pakatan's adopt a continous and constructive approach towards women's issues and not adopt a one-off handout strategy.