Wan Azizah gets cracking on EPF for housewives (Updated)

PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will meet Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan next week to discuss the setting up of EPF savings account for housewives nationwide.
Reporting for her first day on duty as Women, Family and Community Development Minister, here today, Wan Azizah said she intends to see through Pakatan Harapan's (PH) pledge in its manifesto to introduce EPF contributions for housewives.
"There will be many things to iron out in terms of 2% contribution to housewives from the husbands' salary. An example of such issues would involve contribution breakdown for husbands with more than one wife in the case of Muslims," she told reporters after the handing over of duties ceremony from her predecessor Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.
Among the pledges in the PH manifesto, she intends to implement within the first 100 days included RM50 contribution from the government towards the EPF savings for housewives.
Wan Azizah also announced that a special action team has also been formed to look at stunted growth and obesity among children, particularly those from low-income families.
The team, she said will comprise of economist, dieticians and paediatricians who are expected to give their feedback to address and solve the issues.
The Pandan MP said that the ministry will continue its name as the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and not the Women's Affairs and Welfare Ministry as announced earlier.
The Permata programme will continue, she reassured, provided a review and audit of the programme is conducted.
"Programmes that benefit children should be maintained. Programmes that are good for the people will be maintained if not improved for everyone's benefit.
"I will also look to seek Cabinet's approval to increase the allocation for the ministry's ongoing programmes," she said adding that the ministry's Family and Empowerment Programme at 18 high-risk communities would be maintained.
Wan Azizah said discussion on formulating laws for gender equality are currently ongoing while a study on improved protection for women and children under laws for domestic violence will be conducted by the ministry.