THE formation of the special Cabinet committee to protect the vulnerable is proof that the Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun is an abject failure.
“She is just not competent. Whatever issues the prime minister mentioned that will come under the new committee actually falls under Rina’s portfolio.
“In reality, we have sufficient laws to protect the vulnerable. However, Rina has failed in enforcing the legislations.
“With the special Cabinet committee in place, we don’t need Rina to helm the ministry any longer,” said PKR Senator Fadhlina Sidek, in a statement.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that he would establish a special Cabinet committee to protect vulnerable groups; especially children, persons with disabilities (OKU), women and senior citizens.
The committee, which will be chaired by himself, would have representatives from the various ministries such as Women, Family and Community Development; Home; Education, Housing and Local Government; Health; and the religious affairs division in the Prime Minister’s Department.
The announcement came following criticisms against Rina over her apparent lackadaisical performance in running her ministry and it went up a notch after she failed to address the plight of abused teenager, Bella.
On that note, Fadhlina said it was not entirely Rina’s fault in addressing the plight of the vulnerable given that the ministry had never been acknowledged as a “first-tier” portfolio.
“In fact, the special Cabinet committee makes no mention of enacting laws to provide better protection to vulnerable groups.
“For example, they did not say anything on enacting laws to prevent sexual harassment and safeguarding the elderly and social workers,” the PKR leader stated.
Echoing Fadhlina statement, former deputy women, family and community development minister Hannah Yeoh said the formation of the Cabinet committee proved that Rina was not doing her job.
“This comes under her purview. If a committee is needed for this, it shows that the minister (Rina) is not doing her job as protecting the vulnerable is part of the ministry’s job scope,” Free Malaysia Today reported her as saying. – April 24, 2022.
