Carolyn Khor's blog

The Child Act 2001 is inadequate to protect children’s rights – this was the opinion and outcome of a roundtable discussion hosted by the Penang Women’s Development Corporation under YB Chong Eng, the state executive councilor for Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development. Members of Parliament from Pakatan Harapan such as YB Zuraida Kamaruddin, YB Sim Chee Keong and YB Teo Nie Ching received feedback from notable NGOs such as the Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), Service Civil International; and women advocates like YB Lim Siew Khim, DAP councillors Syerleena Rashid and Chris Lee, Aida Yusof Rawa from Parti Amanah, Lim Kah Cheng, and Priscilla Ho. The objective of this meeting, held last weekend, was to work together towards eliminating sexual crimes against children. Lim Kah Cheng aptly pointed out that although the number of police cases have drastically reduced through the years, the number of cases admitted to hospitals remained the same. She also mentioned that...

Press statement by YB Zuraida on NFCorp’s failed takeover by Japanese company Prime Minister Najib Razak should just liquidate the National Feedlot Corporation and recover the RM250 million soft loan that was given to the agricultural company run by Sharizat’s family. That is the only way to hold Sharizat’s family accountable for the mismanagement of funds. The board of directors which includes Sharizat’s husband and children inappropriately spent the people’s money on luxury items unrelated to the agricultural business like purchasing high-end condominiums and prestigious cars. It is simply illogical that any company would want to inject RM20 million into a debt-ridden company that operates at a loss with no foreseeable opportunity for a turnaround. For Kirimitomas Agro to even consider a deal like that, we can only imagine what negotiations went on behind closed doors. Regardless, it is still not a worthwhile deal. Kirimitomas Agro would be better off just starting with ...

Link to article at Malaysia Chronicle Parti Keadilan Rakyat is a democratic party where leaders are elected based on a direct one-for-one vote, also the first political party in Malaysia to empower such voting rights to its members. Any member of the party may also contest for the president’s seat if he or she wishes so. Perhaps Heah is unaware of the meaning ‘sexist’, contextually or otherwise as the word itself bears no relation to whether or not Wan Azizah decides to contest in the next party elections. How sexist is sexist, how disgusting is disgusting - let the people judge How much ‘disgust’ she feels is also irrelevant especially as the whole country witnessed not too long ago the extra-marital affair with the release of a video tape sex-scandal of the MCA Chairman, Chua Soi Lek with a younger woman half his age. Does Heah feel a sense of accomplishment and esteem over her party Chairman’s actions? How much equality does she think that is? And how much respect do...

Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir is getting ahead of himself with his description of ‘dinosaurs’ from Pakatan Rakyat. At 49 years old, he should know better than to call other people names like ‘dinosaurs’ when he is approaching ‘zaman dinosaur’ himself, in addition to having ‘bapa dinosaur’ as his mentor. As if Mukhriz is not already aware, Pakatan Rakyat has a strong and good line-up of leaders who are even more capable and progressive in their approach and thinking. Ranking among the most outstanding and outspoken leaders who notoriously speak without fear or favour are Rafizi Ramli, Sim Tze Tzin, Surendren and Ong Kian Ming, to name a few.  However, what is most disturbing is that Mukhriz feels thrilled that he could extend his father’s struggles. The country has left Tun Dr. Mahathir in a bygone era but yet Mukhriz is still trying to relive and glorify a past that has left a bad after-taste in everyone’s mouths. Who can forget the stranglehold that Tun had on ...

Press Statement on Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 – 2025 by YB Zuraida Kamarudin National unity no doubt starts with a good education plan but this does not necessarily mean that we should curtail people’s rights to choose the type of education suitable for their children. The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 – 2015 launched by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on 6 th September must be carefully reviewed and agreed upon by various parties to avoid public discontent. The Keadilan Women’s Wing recognizes and acknowledges Bahasa Malaysia as the national language but at the same time takes into consideration the multiracial and multi-cultural composition of the country. It is therefore our view that without compromising the importance of Bahasa Malaysia and with support towards the freedom of choice that we request Tan Sri Muhyiddin to revise the Malaysia Education Blueprint for the benefit of all citizens. While all national schools use the Bahasa Malaysia as the m...

Press Statement on the withdrawal of Azalina to contest for Wanita Umno head by YB Zuraida Kamaruddin Barely one month after stating her intention to contest for the top Wanita post in UMNO, Azalina retracted her intention to contest against Sharizat due to ‘advice’ from top leadership. If this is not called ‘internal’ intervention, what is? Jumping to Azalina’s defence is Puteri UMNO head Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin   who said in the Malay Mail yesterday 16/9/13 that Azalina’s decision to withdraw was due to her realization that the contest would create splits among the leaders in the movement. She also stressed that top UMNO top leadership ‘ had from the start practiced the policy of non-intervention in the election of leaders for the party wings’. This is contradictory to what Azalina herself tweeted that her decision was made after being ‘advised’. This so-called non-interference and internal negotiations which prompted Azalina to withdraw is no slight matter...

Press Statement in reply to Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim, Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat by YB Zuraida Kamaruddin, Ketua Wanita PKR Link to related news on Bernama With reference to the statement made by Datuk Rohani published by Bernama dated 13/9/13, she had concurred and defended the police that they had acted within their jurisdiction even though school children from Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Pristina, Sungai Buloh in Selangor were questioned without the consent or presence of their parents. Act 611, also known as the Child Act (2001) defines a child as a person below the age of 18 and is entitled to protection and assistance in all circumstances without regard to distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, social origin or physical, mental or emotional disabilities or any other status In Section 17 (2b), it is stated that a child is considered as emotionally injured if there is substantial and observable impairment of ...