KOTA KINABALU: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry wants public areas to have more closed-circuit television cameras to prevent crime, but this is not under its jurisdiction.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the ministry would take steps to implement it if it was within its powers.
"It is under the jurisdiction of other ministries. It also involves funds.
"Despite this, we will not sit still. We will provide training and empower women and children."
She said this after the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the National Welfare Foundation and the Prison Department on the Targeted Women's Empowerment Programme here.
Earlier, Nancy was asked to comment on recent rape, kidnap and murder cases involving women and children.
Recent high-profile cases include the murders of Istiqomah Ahmad Rozi, 33, in Alor Gajah, Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, 25, in Hulu Selangor, and Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin, 6, in Kuala Lumpur.
Last month, a 6-year-old girl was abducted from Johor Baru. She was found safe in Batang Kali, Selangor, three days later.
On Sunday, a 10-year-old Orang Asli girl was found dead in a swampy area in Kampung Bersah, Pos Kuala Mu. Police confirmed that she was raped before she was killed.
In July, police revealed that from 2020 to last year, 3,067 cases of children under 18 going missing were reported across the country.
Nancy said there were laws to protect women, including the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act.
She said the ministry also conducted advocacy programmes to educate people, including children, about crime prevention.
"If the perpetrator is a family member, how would we know? It is sometimes hidden by the family until a murder occurs.
"We don't want that to happen. We want children to know their rights. That's why we are going to schools now."
She said the ministry had covered 70 out of the 300 targeted schools for the advocacy programme this year.
On the Targeted Women's Empowerment Programme, she said she hoped the programme's psychoeducation approach could help women prisoners improve their self-esteem, awareness and knowledge.
She hoped that with emotional support and income-generating opportunities, the women could smoothly reintegrate into society.
"I saw the work that the women prisoners made in food production, sewing, craft and batik painting workshops.
"The products they make are high quality because the women prisoners receive training from experienced instructors."
Present was Prison Department Deputy Commissioner-General (Community) Ahmad Faudzi Awang.