Dewan Rakyat News In Brief: Nov 12

NEARLY RM135 MLN CHANNELED TO PDK PROGRAMME - NANCY

KUALA LUMPUR -- The government has channelled financial aid amounting to RM134.7 million as of September this year to support the operations of the Community-Based Rehabilitation (PDK) programme.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the funding had benefitted nearly 20,000 persons with disabilities, 573 supervisors and 2,773 staff at PDKs nationwide.

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She added that the ministry has intensified efforts to enhance opportunities and avenues for parents of children with disabilities to register their children for the PDK programme to receive proper rehabilitation.

Nancy was responding to a question from Rodziah Ismail (PH-Ampang) on the direction and action plan for the PDK programme to address various issues, particularly public awareness and acceptance and the lack of resources such as funding, manpower and infrastructure, during the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

-- BERNAMA

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KPWKM ISSUES 23 SEAL, TEMPORARY CLOSURE ORDERS ON NURSERIES UNDER POLICE PROBE

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) has taken 23 enforcement actions on nurseries and childcare centres under police investigation as of September.

Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said 14 seal orders were issued against unregistered nurseries, while the remaining actions were temporary closure orders against registered nurseries.

“Three of these cases are related to fatalities, while 20 involve abuse complaints,” she said in response to a question from Sabri Azit (PN-Jerai) on the statistics of baby abuse cases in childcare centres nationwide and measures to prevent such incidents from recurring, during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

-- BERNAMA

GOVT REVIEWING PROPOSAL TO AMEND LEGAL PROFESSION ACT

KUALA LUMPUR -- The government is reviewing a proposal to amend the Legal Profession Act 1976 to allow the Auditor General to conduct an annual audit of the accounts of the Legal Profession Qualifying Board.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the proposed amendment would be brought to Cabinet for consideration soon.

He was responding to a question from Teresa Kok Suh Sim (PH-Seputeh) on whether the Legal Profession Qualifying Board is audited by any party, during the question-and-answer session in the the Dewan Rakyat today.

-- BERNAMA

NUKLEAR MALAYSIA RESEARCHING NEW NAPIER GRASS VARIETY

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Malaysian Nuclear Agency in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is actively conducting research on the development of a new napier grass variety to enhance the nutritional content of the crop for animal feed.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said the agency is currently conducting mutation breeding studies on napier grass to produce crops with higher biomass and improved nutritional content.

He said that this technology, combined with other techniques, could provide a healthier alternative and has the potential to address future shortages in animal feed.

Chang said this in response to a question from Tan Kar Hing (PH-Gopeng) on the extent of the adoption of biotechnology in research and development to enhance the nutritional content of plant-based animal feed.

-- BERNAMA