‘Rosmah didn’t help Sarawak women’

Rosmah Mansor's acceptance of a honorary doctorate for her "work" with government funded Permata has drawn scorn in Sarawak.

KUCHING: Prime Minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor’s conferment of a honorary PhD award from Curtin University in Perth has drawn scorn from the opposition in Sarawak who feel that it is not right for her to accept such acknowledgement for her involvement in the government-funded Permata programme. Permata has 600 centres.

Permata’s funding to the tune of RM1.1 billion, they said, came from Malaysian tax payers and was for the establishment of pre-schools, including in Sarawak.

PKR national women vice-president Voon Shiak Ni said thus far Rosmah has not shown any results from her work to set-up pre-schools in Sarawak.

“We are not jealous of her receiving the award. We have no objection to honorary awards given to deserving ones,” she said.

“She should have declined the award or should have deferred the conferment of the doctorate degree from Curtin University.

“It is not the time for her as she has not shown that there are results from her work to set up pre-schools in rural Sarawak, even though she has been allocated RM1.1 billion to do so,” Voon said.

She recalled that during Rosmah’s visit to Kuching two years ago, the PKR women had presented her with a memorandum highlighting issues which included the rape of Penan women and children in Sarawak.

“We also included issues on the need to improve education and health (standards) of the Penan community.

“Unfortunately, none (of these issues) has seen any improvement or remedial action taken,” she said.

Rosmah did nothing

Voon said Rosmah had “not lifted a finger” to assist women non-governmental organisations in Sarawak.

“For two years, she has not lifted a finger yet to even response to us or to give assistance to the women non-governmental organisations (NGOs) here for them to help what is necessary for women and children which was brought up to her.

“We wish to tell her this. Set up pre-schools within the settlements of the Penans and the others in the interior of Sarawak immediately to ensure that these rural children have equal opportunity for early childhood education.

“Then the conferment of the doctorate will have been earned.

“We are brave to say this because it is within our personal knowledge that what was demanded by the people in Sarawak is not noted by Rosmah yet,” Voon said.

Meanwhile, Rosmah said that her critics might be frustrated and jealous of her achievements which have contributed to her receiving the honorary doctorate from Curtin University in Perth, Australia.

She believed that the award was given to her for the work she and her team have put into Permata, a pre-school programme under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Rosmah said that her critics were being petty and that their criticisms had created an unhealthy culture that is not beneficial for Malaysia.

“I don’t want to handle personal petty issues. It is all out of frustration. It is all out of… I don’t know. Maybe jealousy,” she was reported to have said.