PARLIAMENT A BN lawmaker today poured praises on the Permata national programme (Permata), saying that it had attracted international acclaim.

Abdul Azeez Rahim (BN-Baling) said those against the programme and its patron, prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor, do so after making "ill assumptions".

He said even the Zambia president and queen of Qatar recognised the Permata's contributions to the children of Malaysia.

"Rosmah has a kind heart. She is always the first one to go and see the kids.

"Don't always have ill assumptions," he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

"Permata is proven to produce children to have such mature thoughts, not children who will bite policemen or protest in front of university gates," he said, taking a jibe at opposition MPs.

Abdul Azeez said so while debating the 2015 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He, however, did not respond to repeated questions by opposition MPs Tian Chua (Batu-PKR) and Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR-Ampang) as to why Permata’s figures and funding breakdown are not made public.

“Ask that to the Education Ministry. Why are you asking for a breakdown? Are you going to help Permata?” he asked.

He also said that lawmakers from both sides should declare open support for what Permata has been doing.

“If you want to meet (Rosmah), no problem, I will bring you to go and meet her. But don’t just have bad impressions merely because she is the PM’s wife,” he said.