SHAH ALAM, 28 May: It is unsure whether the Prime Minister’s praises towards Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on the PERMATA National Project is based on their relationship as spouses or based on the Key Performance Index (KPI) of the project.
This is the reponse given by the Central PKR Deputy Women’s Minister, Rodziah Ismail when asked to comment on Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s praises during the Women Deliver Conference 2013 here at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
In his speech, Najib highly praised the welfare works endeavoured by his wife and claimed that Rosmah’s efforts contributed a great dividend to the country.
However, Rodziah feels that the PERMATA Project initiated by Rosmah did not reach its rightly target because it is focused on a small group of children.
“I would rather urge for the Prime Minister to see children’s welfare with a more comprehensive right regardless of their background, whether they are from the villages or the city, to receive early education.
“The issue of a child’s early education should be seen comprehensively while the PERMATA project seems to only target a specific group and elites to receive benefits,” said Rodziah when contacted by telephone.
By right, stressed the Batu Tiga Assemblywoman, the Federal Government should establish an initiative to channel transparently to parents, especially to those with low income, even more so in having to face an increasing cost of living.
“If seen, many federal projects prioritise numbers or quantity, while quality is not at all monitored.
“In fact, we also do not know who really receives the benefits from the projects carried out,” she further explained.
The PERMATA National Project was first established in 2007 with the aim of giving an opportunity to children under 4 years to be exposed to the early education process.
This project also receives provisions every year from the Central Government budget and in the latest 2013 Budget which was presented last September, a total of RM111 million from the education budget is given to the PERMATA Project which is led by Rosmah.
However, it was not included in the National Audit Report causing there to not be anyone who is well versed or who knows how the provisions received is spent.
This is different from the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Government where since last April, more than RM600,000 in provisions have been given to assist the (Tunas Scheme) Kindergartens and (the Si Kembar Scheme) Nurseries for low-income families.
For the Tunas Scheme, families with a monthly income of RM2,500 are eligible to receive an assistance of RM50 a month to send their children, aged four to six years, to kindergarten.
Meanwhile, for the Si Kembar Scheme, children aged four and below are eligible to receive an assistance of RM100 per month which is paid directly to nurseries registered under the Community Welfare Department (JKM).