More funds, stronger laws needed to protect women and children in Sabah, says Kapayan rep
Datuk Jannie Lasimbang (PH-Kapayan) said there was an urgent need to strengthen legislation on domestic violence, sexual harassment and child marriage, particularly in cases involving Sabah's customary laws.
'Women and children need stronger legal protection, especially in rural and Indigenous communities," she said while debating the Bill at the state assembly sitting on Monday (July 7).
"We must address gaps in enforcement and amend legislation where necessary."
Lasimbang also proposed that the state government allocate annual funding for women's non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Sabah to support advocacy, education and social services.
'Women's NGOs play a vital role in community support and outreach. Consistent funding would ensure they can continue their work sustainably,' she added.
Lasimbang reiterated for the government to set a minimum 30% quota for women in local leadership roles, including village heads, Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairmen, and municipal council members.
'Women must not only be included in development as beneficiaries, but also as decision-makers and problem-solvers."
She also praised the additional RM15.5mil allocation for JKKKs, expressing hope that allowances would be distributed promptly and fairly, especially to those serving at the grassroots level.
Lasimbang said she supported greater investment in elderly and disabled persons (OKU) care, as well as improvements to maternal health and mental health care, particularly for women in remote areas.
'We must ensure that no woman is left behind, especially those who face multiple layers of marginalisation, due to geography, poverty, or cultural barriers,' she said.
She noted that the 2025 Supplementary Supply Bill reflects the state's commitment to addressing the people's needs, but stressed that women must be central to the development process.
'When women are empowered, they strengthen families, communities and ultimately, Sabah as a whole,' she added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
41 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Govt must remain grounded, public sentiment matters, says Rafizi
KUALA LUMPUR: The government must remain grounded and responsive to public sentiment as positive economic indicators alone may not guarantee continued public support, said former economy minister Rafizi Ramli. Likening the midterm elections in the United States to Malaysia, Rafizi, in his recent Yang Bakar Menteri podcast, said the situation should serve as early warning signs for ruling parties in the country. "In the US, for instance, the midterm elections serve as the first warning bell; whether a party or president remains in power or is replaced depends on how the remainder of the term is handled. "The concern now if the opposition takes over (in the next general election), it would be a waste, especially at a time when many of the measures introduced are finally starting to show results. "One of Pakatan Harapan's (PH) advantages has always been that the people generally believe PH is a more competent administration. However, the PH-BN led government must not take public sentiment lightly," he said. The Pandan member of parliament also pointed out that despite Malaysia's strong economic performance in 2017, the public ultimately voted for change in the following year. "Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was confident of winning. Analysts even predicted it (BN's win). "But, they lost as there was a gap between the headline numbers and how the sentiment of the people," he said. As such, he also said it was important to have humility and internal accountability within parties. "Even if we support our own party, we cannot take a 'holier than thou' approach as if our party is always right, it does not work like that. "We have to lead by example, and if there is something we believe is wrong, we must speak up. "With about two years left in the term, how the government handles public sentiment is crucial. "Protest votes have happened before, in 2018, and this is why many are now saying they miss Najib's era, as the figures at the time looked good. Economically, 2017 was a strong year."
Focus Malaysia
2 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
Rafizi urges Malaysians to vote wisely, warns of challenges ahead
FORMER economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has urged Malaysians to cast their votes wisely in the upcoming general election, advising voters to assess candidates with knowledge. While he did not tell voters to choose Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates, he left it open for voters to decide wisely, warning that an opposition victory in the next general election might harm the reform agenda. 'This time I will say that (your) vote is secret, you choose whoever you like, but make the assessment as someone with a little knowledge.' Speaking on his Yang Berhenti Menteri podcast last night (July 11), Rafizi said the next two and a half years will be challenging for both the government and opposition, admitting it is an 'open field'. While expressing concerns over the opposition taking power, he noted the current government's 'remedy' was starting to show results. Rafizi stressed PH's administrative competence but cautioned that no government should take voters for granted. His podcast was launched after resigning as minister, following his loss to Nurul Izzah Anwar in PKR's deputy presidency race. — July 12, 2025
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
S'gor may reclaim land left vacant by places of worship
Ng says the state may give the land to someone else. Selangor government may take back land set aside for non-Muslim places of worship if it is left vacant after being approved for development. State local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim said this was to ensure that other people would also have a chance to develop the land. 'We would look into providing a reasonable deadline, say five years, for the applicants to build structures on the land given to them. 'If they fail to meet the deadline, the state government will consider taking back the land and giving it to someone else,' he said during the Selangor State Assembly sitting at Bangunan Dewan Negeri Selangor in Shah Alam. He was replying to a supplementary question by Lwi Kian Keong (PH-Sungai Pelek) on whether there was a deadline for building structures on land as he observed that some non-Muslim places of worship had yet to be built despite being granted approval. Ng emphasised that the construction of non-Muslim places of worship in every housing project must adhere to the Selangor State Planning Guidelines and Standards Manual, which outlined the minimum size and capacity of these buildings. On a separate matter, Ng said as of the first quarter of 2025, solid waste management and public cleansing agency KDEB Waste Management (KDEBWM) had recorded an 82.7% adherence rate to its service level agreement with the state government. 'The agreement outlined various service standards that need to be adhered to by KDEBWM such as the frequency in collecting domestic and bulk waste, reaction time towards complaints and cleanliness level at the locations after waste collection,' he said. He added that the number of notices to collect waste issued to KDEBWM by local councils had been decreasing since 2023, with 2,267 notices given out in 2023, 1,604 notices in 2024 and 776 notices as of May 2025. The sitting has been adjourned sine die.
