The Star, Friday July 10, 2009
ALOR GAJAH: Experts from non-governmental groups will be roped in to increase the competency and skills of care-givers working at government welfare complexes in the future. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said it would expand and open the doors of these newly developed complexes, which would offer various services such as daycare and rehabilitation, to more volunteers and experts in their respective fields.
“This will allow them to work hand in hand with our welfare officers,” she told reporters after witnessing the opening of the Alor Gajah Penyayang Complex by Malacca Governor Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob yesterday.
The RM9.87mil complex, located on a 4.06ha site, is the country’s first integrated welfare centre offering activities for children, community rehabilitation and daycare for the aged. It also housed the Alor Gajah district welfare office.
Shahrizat said two more centres had been constructed in Kuantan and Sungai Petani, which would be opened to the public soon.
“This integrated complex will be used as a template for the development of future centres under the 10th Malaysia Plan and we will continue to build them,” she said, adding that such one-stop centre concept had several advantages.
Besides making such services more accessible to the public, Shahrizat said both the children and the aged at the centre would not feel isolated from the community.
Shahrizat also said the ministry would focus on getting the private sector to adopt the policy of at least 30% women participation in decision-making roles.