THE Covid-19 pandemic has caused much hardship for people. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun has been coordinating aid for target groups during the Movement Control Order. She tells that the Penjana stimulus package is a shot in the arm for Malaysia's recovery.
Question: It has been more than 100 days since you took office. What has it been like?
Answer: One hundred days of Covid-19! (laughs). On a serious note, before the pandemic, the ministry had some 500,000 welfare recipients. We are expecting the number to increase as more Malaysians are now jobless.
We have started strategic collaboration programmes with private companies and government-linked companies (GLCs) to help those in need of assistance and jobs. The ministry is acting as the facilitator to make it easier for women to find jobs in companies and agencies.
While the jobs are open to all, the ministry will give priority to female jobseekers. We have started discussions and an announcement on this will be made soon.
Career fairs will be held, but I have to apologise in advance because priority, as I have said earlier, will be given to women.
Q: What should the people know about the ministry's aid distribution programmes?
A: In the past 100 days, the ministry has been focusing on giving aid to targeted groups, comprising those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Previously, aid was given to those below the poverty line, but because of the outbreak, we now focus on not just the B40 group (bottom 40 per cent), but also some in the M40 group (middle 40 per cent) who have been impacted by the Movement Control Order (MCO), especially daily earners who have lost their source of income.
Besides sending aid using funds allocated to us by the Finance Ministry or the Covid-19 Fund, the ministry has also been acting as a facilitator for donations from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) so that the aid will reach those really in need.
So far, some 450,000 have received government aid and 430,000 have benefited from donations from NGOs.
The ministry has eight target groups, including senior citizens, the disabled and children. For senior citizens, we have 17 institutions under the Welfare Department with more than 2,500 residents. They have all been screened for Covid-19, including those working at these institutions. We did this knowing that senior citizens have a higher risk of getting infected, especially those with chronic illnesses.
Q: Which initiatives under the Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) are handled by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry?
A: Under Penjana, we have three main goals. The first is to empower the people, second is to propel businesses and third is to stimulate the economy.
The people are going through hardships, with some losing their jobs, while others saw their business stalling, including childcare centre operators. More than 5,000 childcare centres throughout the country have been affected because when parents can't go to work, children stay home, too.
To restart these centres' operations, the ministry will provide a RM5,000 one-off grant, while home-based childcare centres will receive RM1,500 each. This aid is given because we understand that childcare centres have to adhere to strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) where, among others, they must sanitise their premises and record the children's temperature daily. There are also cases of parents not being able to pay the fees and this has affected the centres, too.
The ministry is also giving RM300 to about 150,000 single mothers. Previously, only their children received the aid, but given the situation, we understand the plight of single mothers.
RM300 will also be given to 190,000 registered disabled persons. Those who have yet to register can do so if they fulfil the criteria set by the ministry.
To help parents save money, there will be an increase in income tax relief from RM2,000 to RM3,000 for children-related expenses.
Apart from these, we understand that volunteers, too, need help. So volunteers who have been working tirelessly will each be given RM300. They have been going to the ground to help senior citizens who have no family. Some volunteers do weekly house visits.
Q: Do you expect more single mothers to apply for Penjana aid after the MCO?
A: We are prepared for this, but I hope the reason there will be more registered single mothers is not because of any increase in divorce cases during the MCO. Whatever it is, we are prepared to receive more applications for assistance because this is not an easy time for anyone.
Q: On the Penjana GLC Community initiative, where GLCs are encouraged to adopt a community and implement a socio-economic development project, what are the benefits for the community and GLCs?
A: Community development is a shared responsibility where the government and GLCs need to collaborate. The community is in need of help to go on with their lives and businesses. We hope that through collaborations with GLCs, we will be able to empower the community. As for the GLCs, among the benefits they will get apart from giving back to the community are tax exemptions.
Q: How many childcare centres will benefit from the Penjana initiatives?
A: There are currently 5,700 registered childcare centres, but we expect an increase because some are now getting registered.
We estimate that about 7,000 childcare centres will benefit from the initiatives, including those in rural areas. If there are 30 children at each centre, then 210,000 children will benefit from Penjana.
To ensure safety, the ministry will continuously monitor childcare centres through spot checks as we need to make sure they comply with the SOP.
Q: Do you think the initiatives will get more unregistered childcare centres to register?
A: That's what we're hoping for. The registration process is ongoing and we want all operators to register so that they can receive the aid.
Q: What about child nursing and early education courses for babysitters?
A: Firstly, under Penjana, a RM900 incentive will be provided to babysitters to attend the course because we found out that some of them do not have the relevant certificates.
Secondly, we are providing an opportunity to those who are interested in becoming babysitters. They, too, will receive the incentive. Once they obtain the certificates, they can become registered babysitters or even operate childcare centres in the future.
We understand many people have lost their jobs. April statistics show that about 780,000 people are now jobless. We hope those who are unemployed will consider becoming babysitters. At the moment, about 9,000 people will receive this incentive.
Q: Will there be new topics in the course in the new normal?
A: Yes, the syllabus will be tweaked based on what we have learnt over the past three months (of the MCO). The course will mostly be conducted online, except for the practical part at the end, which requires face-to-face interaction. Aside from this, the course will be shortened from six months to three months.
Q: What about preschools and kindergartens?
A: Those are under the purview of the Education Ministry, but since childcare centres will reopen first, all preschools and kindergartens will follow the SOP for childcare centres. We understand that it will not be easy for children to adhere to SOP such as social distancing, so we will include the parents' role in our SOP. Parents will need to ensure that their children practise good hygiene. Those with symptoms will have to be sent home.
Q: During the MCO, many Malaysians had to work from home. Are there plans for the ministry to propose that work from home be continued?
A: For me, I see work from home as a positive thing, but the government will have to hold discussions to consider all aspects. While many things can be done from home, some work requires face-to-face interaction. Maybe we can consider this for working mothers with young children because the children definitely need more attention from their mothers.
Q: Are there ministry policies that will be reviewed?
A: There are many policies, some even from decades ago, that we are reviewing, including the National Child Policy, National Policy for Persons with Disabilities and National Policy for the Elderly as the country is becoming an ageing society.
However, what is key right now is the implementation. We need cooperation from all parties, including from the states as each state has its own laws. They need to understand and cooperate for the benefit of all.
We have also made improvements to the Sexual Harassment Bill, which will be forwarded to the Attorney-General's Chambers for tabling in Parliament.
Q: Will the Sexual Harassment Bill be tabled in Parliament this year?
A: I hope we can do it this year, but I don't think we can make it for the next sitting (in July), but hopefully the next sitting (in November) or early next year.
Q: What do you think about the country's efforts to combat Covid-19?
A: Malaysia's effort to contain the pandemic is something we all should be proud of. The prime minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) made the right decision by announcing the MCO on March 18 to control the outbreak. Of late, we have been recording single-digit new cases daily and Malaysia has been recognised worldwide as one of the countries that have succeeded in controlling the spread of the virus.
Nonetheless, we must not be complacent but must continue to adhere to the SOP as outlined by the Health Ministry to prevent a second wave of the pandemic. I am so proud that most Malaysians have shown high levels of compliance with the SOP during the MCO, which has led to the flattening of the Covid-19 curve.
Q: What other forms of aid is the ministry looking into?
A: In the past three months, focus has been on Covid-19. I would like to thank the Welfare Department for its hard work during this trying time despite being heavily criticised by certain quarters. They managed to distribute food baskets to nearly one million recipients.
It is not an easy task, especially with the new norm, but we are trying our level best to assist those in dire need. I still remember when the Enhanced MCO was implemented (in some areas), we received a request for 1,000 food baskets and they were needed by midnight. We managed to prepare the food baskets despite the short notice.
Aside from that, we have also been helping those struggling with emotional breakdowns due to MCO via a tele-counselling service line. We received more than 2,000 calls during the MCO period from people seeking emotional support to cope with the crisis. We have 583 counsellors under the Board of Counsellors of Malaysia and the Welfare Department from across the country involved with the tele-counselling service line.