PM calls for more childcare centres

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak wants organisations with a high number of staff to give priority to setting up childcare centres to facilitate working mothers.
"This is for the sake of women who want to work but still have the responsibility to take care of their children. I want approval on the placement location of childcare centres in commercial buildings to be settled quickly," he said when launching the National Women's Day 2016 celebrations here today.
Najib said although he was happy that the private sector was providing childcare centres in commercial buildings, the initiative however needed to be continously improved with cooperation between the private sector and the government.
On the participation of women in workforce, the Prime Minister said overall, the national rate had reached 54% last year, while in the public sector, it had exceeded the target, at 57.22%.
He also believed that the most effective measure to increase the average income of B40 households (the 40% of the population in the lower income bracket) was to provide housewives opportunities and assistance to enter the working world or venture into business.
He said the government had established several programmes and initiatives to raise the women's economic position, among others, the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia and 1AZAM.
He said the programmes and initiatives had helped close to 2.5 million women with microcredit loans and assistance amounting to more than RM13.5billion since 2009.
"What is more amazing is that 98% of these women had successfully paid up their loans in full. Congratulations!," he said to thunderous applause from the women present.
Najib said that the government would continue to strive to have more women in top level management in the public and corporate sectors.
As of April 2016, he said, 34% of the JUSA C top management level in the public sector comprised women. — Bernama