KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 — The Dewan Rakyat today approved two more ministries’ budget allocation through voice votes at the committee level.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s budget allocation was approved when a voice vote was called by the Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Rashid Hasnon although several issues were disputed.
The Environment and Water Ministry’s budget was also approved, without substantial interjections from the floor.
During the committee stage debate for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, former deputy minister Hannah Yeoh raised several issues including the appointment of Yayasan Kebajikan Negara (YKN) volunteers’ whom she claimed were mainly from Bersatu’s Srikandi women’s wing members.
Yeoh, who is DAP’s Segambut MP, cited an application form which indicated the commencement of the appointments and said each volunteer is paid RM1,000 for three months in all parliamentary constituencies, effective from July 15 to October 15 this year.
“Why do we need these volunteers from YKN when there are existing officers from the Welfare Department who are already carrying out similar responsibilities?” Yeoh asked.
Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun did not offer an explanation to Yeoh’s question and merely said that the application is open for anyone who was interested to join as a volunteer.
When asked further on why the positions were not advertised, Rina said this was due to the limited space available (only 30).
Another issue raised was the Sexual Harassment Bill that was to be tabled in Parliament, where DAP’s Batu Kawan MP Kasthruriraani Patto questioned the delay of the Bill being presented in Parliament.
“It has been a year, so why is the Bill still stuck in the Attorney General’s office?
“Does it take a year to make improvements to the Bill?” Kasthuriraani asked.
Rina had earlier said that the ministry was still improving the Bill and has submitted it to the Attorney General’s office for further vetting.
Meanwhile, DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago asked the Environment and Water Ministry if it has put in place steps to prevent pollution from happening in the Selangor river that has seen several episodes of pollution resulting in water disruption.
Its minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man responded by saying it was important for the authorities to identify alternative water sources, instead of depending on just the main water sources, should there be pollution incidents in the future.
“We cannot guarantee 100 per cent that water pollution would not happen along the river due to the size of the river. That is the reality.
“If it is fated for a pollution incident to occur, and consumers don’t suffer water disruption, what is the alternative?” said Tuan Ibrahim.
He added that the government is also currently monitoring factories that are located along the river to ensure that waste is handled properly so that pollution would not occur.
