Wanita Gerakan today urged the government to start a "wife provident fund" which would serve as a financial safety net for wives if divorce happens.

gerakan youth agm 2007 051007 tan lian hoe Its chief Tan Lian Hoe said this should be looked into because the divorce rate had become worrying and there were many instances of husbands neglecting the welfare of their ex-wives and children following divorce.

"Wanita (Gerakan) also suggests that divorced husbands who try to evade their responsiblity to their children be jailed," she said in her policy speech at Wanita Gerakan's annual convention at Menara PGRM here today.

Tan said having the fund would resolve such problems.  

Besides these, Tan also called for stern action to be taking against anyone who made racist comments or were biased in implementing government policies.

Buy back shares sold by bumis

Meanwhile, at the Gerakan Youth annual convention, which was held simultaneously, its chief Lim Si Pin proposed that the government set up a Bumiputera Unit Trust fund in order to ensure that bumiputeras achieved 30 percent of the economic pie.

gerakan youth wing convention 041210 lim si pin He said the fund could buy back shares sold by bumiputeras and in doing so ensure their equity participation was not diluted.

He also called on property developers to abolish the five percent discount for bumiputera housebuyers who purchased property valued more than RM500,000.

Lim said the privileges should only be used as a subsidy for low income earners to buy low cost houses.

"If they can afford property costing RM500,000, definitely they do not need the discount," he rationalised.

- Bernama