Women’s Ministry to provide Baitul Mahabbah shelter with caregivers

KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is prepared to work with the Home Ministry on the Baitul Mahabbah shelter for foreign children.

Its minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (pic) said the matter had been discussed before and it was agreed that the Home Ministry would provide the premises while her ministry would provide the caregivers.

She said there were also some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that had expressed a willingness to take in the foreign children.

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“Actually, we had discussions (with the Home Ministry) to… place the children at our institution, but we have not been given the permission yet,” she told reporters at the Artisans Development Association’s (PPA) RM1mil sale here on Tuesday (Sept 5).

On Monday (Sept 4), Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the ministry had opened the Baitul Mahabbah to provide temporary shelter for foreign children who were previously placed at Immigration depots.

According to Saifuddin, the shelter is for children aged 10 and below, and for a start, the Immigration Department has relocated 23 children, along with 10 caregivers, being the mothers of the children concerned, to the shelter.

They were from the Immigration depots in Bukit Jalil, Semenyih, KLIA and Eco Millennium Beranang.

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Regarding Tuesday’s programme, Nancy said PPA through The Artisans Haven has collected RM1mil in sales since its establishment in 2020.

This, she said, proved the creativity and dedication of women entrepreneurs and the community, besides reflecting the support of various parties for the group.

“The support from the corporate sector and the SMEs is very valuable.

“It not only helps promote the development of women entrepreneurs and the community, but also provides a positive social impact,” she said, calling for other corporate bodies to do the same to empower women entrepreneurs, the community and individuals who need help. – BK