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SEREMBAN: The country needs a stable federal government to implement policy changes that will safeguard the welfare and livelihood of vulnerable groups such as women and children.
Saying this, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said emphasised that improvements to policies could not be achieved if the country kept witnessing changes in the federal administration.
She cited the increase in the number of abuse cases involving women and children at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak and the country saw changes to the government due to political instability.
"You cannot deny that certain policies to the vulnerable groups such as women and children will affect the standing of this government in the next five years.
"Therefore, the government must be stable to achieve the changes.
"If you keep changing the government, how are we going to achieve these changes," she told reporters after visiting the Seremban Court Complex here today.
Her comments came on the heels of the on-going state elections involving Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu.
Azalina said based on statistics, there were many cases of abuse involving women and children, as offenders took advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic and the political instability.
"During Covid-19, there were so many cases of abuse reported because they (offenders) took advantage of the situation.
"(At the time) The Courts were unable to seat, the witnesses were unable to appear in the court, and lodging police reports was difficult," she said.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/07/937001/azalina-malaysia-requires-stable-federal-govt-policy-changes-safeguarding