THE allocations under Budget 2021 for another three ministries were approved at the committee stage yesterday. This brings the total number of ministries whose budgets were approved to 17, with six being passed via bloc voting.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s RM2.49 billion budget allocation was approved by voice vote.
In her winding-up speech, its minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun (pix) said the ministry is currently preparing the draft of the Bill for the proposed Sexual Harassment Act.
She said the ministry is carrying out engagement sessions with relevant agencies and stakeholders to get their views.
“For now, existing Acts and regulations will be used to deal with sexual harassment issues. For cases in the private sector, the Human Resources Ministry, through the Labour Department (Peninsular Malaysia) enforces the Employment Act (Act 265), which requires employers to conduct investigations into any such complaint by their staff.”
Rina said the Public Services Department is developing a sexual harassment intervention module at workplaces to be applied by counsellors or psychology officers handling such cases.
The Tourism, Culture and Arts Ministry’s RM986.6 million budget was later passed through bloc voting, with Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun presiding over the session.
The budget was supported by 109 MPs, while 96 voted against it and 15 were absent.
The Environment and Water Ministry’s budget (including RM551.8 million for its management expenditure) was also passed through voice vote.
