Jainab officiating at the Women’s Day 2013 celebrations at Tawau Community Hall, yesterday.
TAWAU: Women need not be divorcees to receive welfare aid and assistance, according to Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid.
In fact, she said, any woman, who hails from a poor family or earning less than RM960 a month, could apply for welfare aid and assistance.
“Many just don’t understand. Some mothers are even willing to go to Islamic Religious Department’s office to ask for a divorce certificate to apply for the welfare assistance even when they are still married to their husbands.
“We don’t need to lie by saying that we are divorcees because anyone can apply for the aid as long as they are poor and earn less than RM960 per month.
“We need to correct this misconception,” she told reporters after opening the 2013 Women’s Day celebration here yesterday.
Meanwhile, Jainab said the ability of women in Malaysia has been globally recognized and proven with 49.5 per cent participation in the national labor market.
“Over the next three years this figure is expected to rise to 55 per cent with the introduction of various policies,” she said.
She said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had outlined three key areas that needed to be addressed in the empowerment of women, namely education, employment and corporate diversity.
She said her ministry via Sabah Women Affairs Department has carried out various programmes to produce more capable women.