1,774 ATM personnel involved in UN peacekeeping missions since 2000

Bernama (18/8/08): A total of 1,774 Malaysian Defence Forces (ATM) personnel have been involved in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions since the year 2000 until now, the Dewan Rakyat was told Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said of the number, 1,185 personnel were involved in peacekeeping duties while the other 589 as mission observers or staff officers.

Najib, who is also Defence Minister, said during the same period, 10 ATM peacekeepers were injured while three died.

He said the ATM's involvement in the missions was beneficial to the nation and also the ATM peacekeepers.

"Our involvement is seen as branch of our foreign policy, that is to help other nations that are facing internal or external conflicts. This benefits us in terms of image and clout.

"From the angle of the men participating in the missions, Malaysia being a peaceful nation, it gives them invaluable experience as they have to deal with real situations of conflict. This also helps improve their professionalism," he said when replying to a question from Razali Ibrahim (BN-Muar).

To a question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) on the compensation scheme in case of injuries or fatalities, Najib said all ATM personnel partaking in UN peacekeeping missions were well covered.

"In the case of Cpl Jun ak Sang, who died in Lebanon recently, the total compensation received by his family was in excess of RM500,000," he said.

Tackle social ills, PAS rep tells Govt

The Star (4/7/08): Barisan Nasional Government led by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should adhere to his Islam Hadhari concept by eradicating social problems in the country, Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof (PAS – Rantau Panjang) said.

She said the Government should not just concentrate on physical development, but do more to enhance spiritual development.

“The Government should limit the granting of licences for night-clubs and entertainment outlets in the Klang Valley, which have become the places for youths to hang out.

“We are also sad over the many divorce cases, mostly involving the Malay community,” she said when debating the mid-term review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

She added that the Government should do more to enhance the quality of family education programmes because many children have become victims of divorce.

Siti Zailah said that at least eight women were reportedly raped daily in the country.

“The existing laws, which are weak, should be amended and the country should return to the tenets espoused in the Quran to deter criminal acts.

“What is the use of the Government talking about working to turn Malaysia into a developed country when the crime rate continues to increase,” she added.

In a written reply to Nga Kor Ming (DAP - Taiping), Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom said the Government had allocated a total of RM428mil to build mosques and surau as well as RM8.1mil to build churches and temples.

The Government spent RM3.93mil for Hindu temples, RM3.16mil for other temples and RM1.6mil for churches.

Such allocation for 2009 and 2010 would be determined by the government later, he said.

Since 1991, he said the Prime Minister had allocated RM1mil for physical development of churches and temples and RM1mil for Hindu temples from 2000.

1,649 missing children cases in 2007

The Star (21/5/08): More than half of the 242 children reported missing between January and March this year are still lost according to police statistics, Deputy Women, Family and Community Minister Noriah Kasnon said.

Replying to an oral question by Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Sadong), Noriah said there were 1,649 cases of missing children reported last year.

"The ministry is serious about such cases and have taken numerous steps to tackle the issue," she said.

Noriah said of the 1,649 cases in 2007, 86% were from the 14-17 age group and that there was a high possibility that they ran away on their own.

"It also cannot be denied that the number of cases may actually be higher than what is reported because families may be embarrassed about reporting such cases."

Noriah said some families may be worried about what action could be taken against them for losing their child, or maybe their child ran away with a boyfriend or because the child broke the law.

To a supplementary question, Noriah said research had not been done on where runaway cases happened most often but cited that between 2005-2007, the most cases reported came from Kedah, accounting for 16% of the almost 5,000 cases reported.

Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof (PAS-Rantau Panjang) also asked Noriah what kind of action had been taken to educate children in the 14-17 age group as most of them would be of schoolgoing age.

To this, Noriah said the ministry had set up "protector teams" (pasukan pelindung) and welfare committees at the district level to carry out awareness programmes.

"There are 131 teams and 110 committees in the country who together with grassroot leaders will go to schools to talk to the children about outside influences," she said.

Noriah however said that parents had to play their role in ensuring the safety of their children.

She added that family education programmes to teach parents the importance of managing money, emotions and responsibility had also been carried out between 2003 and 2007 where 201,172 participants had taken part.

Priority in education development to Sabah, Sarawak, Dewan Rakyat told

Bernama (14/5/08): The government always gives priority to development in Sabah and Sarawak including in education, and the two states receive greater focus and allocation than the other states, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said Wednesday.

He said that, for example, under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), the government had allocated RM3.4 billion to Sabah and RM3.1 billion to Sarawak for education.

"The ministry is aware of the gap in the level of education between the urban and interior areas in Sabah and Sarawak, and allocations have been made to upgrade the infrastructure and amenities in schools there," he said when winding up debate for his ministry on the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.

Hishammuddin said allocations had been made to implement 3,604 education development projects in Sabah and 2,187 projects in Sarawak.

"Statements that Sabah and Sarawak have been marginalised are inaccurate; in fact, they are given priority and higher allocations," he said.

Referring to a question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang), he said the ministry would ensure that all projects were completed in the alloted time as far as ensuring that there were no more schools in poor condition in the Sabah and Sarawak interior.

"It is not possible to resolve all problems in a matter of two or three years. Sabah is 73,710 sq km in size while Sarawak is 125,000 sq km in area and they have 1,271 and 1,439 schools, respectively. Sabah has 497 underpopulated schools while Sarawak has 788," he said.

On the relocation of underpopulated Chinese and Tamil schools, Hishammuddin said the ministry had resolved the matter and denied that its actions were politically motivated.

The Dewan Rakyat will sit again Thursday.