Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was shocked to learn that one of those involved in the demonstration by 27 NGOs in front of the Prime Minister's Department this morning was the head of a special committee formed by her ministry.

womens aid organisation pc censored anti rape campaign 130109 ivy josiah "I was shocked that Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah ( left ) was involved as she was head of the special team to investigate the alleged sexual abuse of Penan women and girls in Sarawak.

"We don't know why they did this but we can't discount there was a hidden agenda," she told reporters after launching a Ramadan programme here today.

She said the ministry would be having a meeting on the Penan women development programme with the Sarawak Chief Minister's Department on Oct 6.

rafidah shahrizat wanita umno mt pwtc 021208 shahrizat Several government agencies and NGOs would be involved.

The minister rejected a claim by NGOs that Penan women and children had been marginalised from mainstream development as a lot of programmes had been implemented.

"The claim is baseless as it only referred to those left behind. There are others who have big houses and cars with successful children," said Shahrizat ( right ).

Newspaper reports last year said that seven Penan women and girls in Baram had been raped and molested by loggers.

- Bernama