KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry supports the participation of women riders in providing motorcycle taxi services such as Dego Ride.

Its deputy minister Hannah Yeoh said this was in keeping with the needs of the job sector which required women in various roles, irrespective of gender but at the same time, she added, safety must be prioritised.

“If we look at the jobs out there today, there are many which women want to take up and I feel there are no more jobs which are less suitable for women.

“The  most important thing is the need for us to ensure the safety of women riders is attended to by all parties,” Yeoh said, adding that her ministry was ready to engage in dialogues with relevant ministries such as the Human Resources, and Youth and Sports ministries, if feedback and input was needed in reference to the safety of motorcyclists.

Advertisement

She told reporters this after visiting a facility for the management of the deceased at Masjid Al-Hidayah Kampung Sungai Penchala, which was launched here today by the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (JAWI) senior officer Mohd Hilmee Omar.

Yeoh, who is also the Member of Parliament for Segambut, had announced in 2018, a contribution of RM25,000 from her parliamentary office, to be used for the construction of the facility at the mosque following a request made by mosque committee members and local residents. 

The minister said today that government assistance should be channelled to all those in need irrespective of race or religion.

Advertisement

“This is the public’s money returned to them for their well-being, and I feel the time has come for us in Malaysia, not to differentiate anymore between race or religion. If there is a need, the public’s money must be provided for the well-being of all,” she added.

On another matter, Yeoh expressed her thanks on behalf of her ministry, the families of special needs children and the children themselves, to former Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik on the zero-reject policy launched in January last year and which has allowed the acceptance of more than 10,000 special needs children into all schools. — Bernama