Hannah Yeoh pledges RM10,000 for AIDS council

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh tonight pledged a RM10,000 allocation from her ministry for the Malaysian AIDS Council.

Despite this being a “small” allocation, Yeoh said she understands the important work that the council does to empower those living with HIV, women included.

She said in a speech that it was time for everyone to stop shying away from talking about HIV.

To that effect, Yeoh said her ministry is working to help women facing such scrutiny, citing the proposed sexual harassment bill and strengthening the support system for pregnant teens.

Yeoh was speaking at the #GirlPower gala dinner in conjunction with International Women’s Day today at the Sheraton Imperial to empower Malaysian women living with HIV.

MAF chairman Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman.

Present tonight was Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) chairman Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, #GirlPower gala dinner co-chair and local celebrity chef Ismail Ahmad and Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s wife, Noorainee Abdul Rahman.

The disease here has largely affected sex workers, transgenders, injecting drug users and men who have sex with other men. Last year saw an increase among homosexuals and bisexuals.

But women too are just at risk. Studies show them being discriminated at work and risking losing their jobs if their HIV status is discovered.

In fact, in poor households and in rural areas, these women do not have a say on their own sexual health and well-being, leading to them being isolated at home, where they raise families all on their own.

Last year, there were more than 13,000 reported cases of HIV infection among women in Malaysia.

This is what drove the MAF into action by creating the MyLady Assistance Scheme, a  special programme to help women and single mothers living with HIV start their own income-generating businesses and to get jobs.

The scheme, which collected well over RM200,000 in sponsorship and donations from the dinner, was scheduled to be launched tonight but was postponed to next month.

Adeeba said Malaysia is the first nation in the western Pacific region to be certified as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

The event later in the night saw a forum by women living with HIV on their struggles in pushing for a more wholesome and safer home to live in. - FMT