DPM launches National Social Policy

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, launching the policy at the Putra World Trade Centre, said the country had to balance its rapid economic growth with moral and societal values. "We realise the time has come to take rational, professional, strategic, comprehensive and concrete steps to overcome social ills in our society," he said.

He noted the increasing number of cases of child abuse, abandoned babies, rapes, murders, incest, juvenile crime, drug addiction, vandalism, gangsterism and domestic violence. "Our economic growth has, in some ways, contributed to these negative trends." The policy's stated objective is to create a society that is resilient, united, democratic, tolerant, caring, just and equitable, with high moral values, and competitive in all sectors.

After the launch, which was aired live on RTM1, Abdullah immediately convened the first meeting of the newly-formed National Social Council, which he chaired. After the meeting, he said community service centres would be set up in areas that were at a higher risk of social strife. Fifty centres will be set up, in areas yet to be identified, under the first phase of the programme and will be manned by members of the community itself.

The community-based approach would give the people a sense of ownership of the programme, Abdullah said. People would be trained to be counsellors for the centres, he added. The first step is to hold talks with the local authorities and the police to identify the high-risk areas, and later, to engage the community leaders, residents and Rukun Tetangga.

"We're not limiting the number of centres to 50. We will build as many as needed on the basis of priority." Abdullah said it was not necessary to build new infrastructure for the centres and other programmes under the policy. The existing facilities and channels of various ministries, which have a stake in social development, will be used. "Whatever programmes the council decides on will be given to respective ministries to be implemented through their infrastructure." Among the ministries involved are National Unity and Social Development, Education, Rural Development, Health, Youth and Sports, Women and Family Development, and Human Resources, whose ministers are members of the Federal-level council.

The council is to be permanently chaired by the Prime Minister, while the National Unity and Social Development Ministry will head the secretariat. The National Students' Consultative Council also has a representative in the council. The policy will also be implemented at State and district levels, and at the grassroots level through community service centres. Abdullah also said the council today discussed plans for a monitoring and assessment system to measure the success of the policy. National Unity and Social Development Minister Datuk Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman said the National Social Policy was proposed by the Cabinet Committee on Social Ills chaired by Abdullah.

It was approved by the Cabinet in February.

The policy will take a holistic approach to solving social ills as the causes are many and inter-related.

Abdullah urged the people, especially youths, to have the spirit of volunteerism and to participate in social work.

He added that the cultivation of good values began with the family, and urged parents, guardians and educators to be responsible in guiding the young.