Ministry to help rural women set up business

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Develop­ment Ministry plans to churn out at least 1,000 women small-scale entrepreneurs every year.

Women Development Depart­ment director-general Datuk Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur said that efforts were ongoing to raise the economic status of rural women.

“The ministry plans to produce the 1,000 women entrepreneurs through micro-enterprising yearly which basically consists

of businesses with annual in-comes below RM250,000,” she said in her speech at the launch of local brand of female personal hygiene products at a hyper-

market here yesterday.

Dr Noorul Ainur said a jasmine or bunga melor cultivation project was launched on Aug 30 in Raub while a lemongrass project was in the works.

She said it was also an achievement that 21% of the Malaysia External Trade Development Cor­poration members were women.

“These days, women are not just consumers but they are also producers,” she said.

Dr Noorul Ainur also hoped that more private companies would help market local brands managed by women to create a good platform for the companies to take flight.

Special dept for disabled, kids and senior citizens

The Star

SUBANG JAYA: The government plans to set up a department to look into the welfare of disabled, children and senior citizens.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said that such a department would help ensure that services were delivered efficiently.

To be named Department for the Disabled Development, she said that certain procedures had to be implemented such as the drawing up of the Bills that needed to be tabled and passed in Parliament.

“It is expected to be drawn up and tabled in Parliament by the year's end,” she said while launching the National Disabled Day 2007 at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre here yesterday.

The ministry has also submitted proposals to the Housing and Local Government and Transport ministries concerning matters pertaining to access for disabled persons, she said.

She later presented awards in various categories.

The special award for the most excellent disabled person went to Dr Ng Chee Kyun, 32, who overcame cerebral palsy to obtain a PhD in Communications and Networking from UPM and is now working at Mimos Bhd.

Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort in Kota Kinabalu won the award for the most disabled-accessible hotel, while 1-Utama in Petaling Jaya won the award for the most accessible shopping complex.