Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail expressed concern with the high number of cases of domestic violence in the country.

Based on statistics by the police, she said, it was worrying that a total of 4,963 cases reported between January and November last year.

"In general, social problems such as violence against women, child abuse, domestic violence and unwed mothers, are on the rise, and are getting the attention of various quarters,” she said when launching the state-level 'Santuni Rakyat' programme at Angsana Mall in Johor Bahru today.

The programme, organised by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, with the cooperation of the Johor government, was also attended by Menteri Besar Osman Sapian and state women development and tourism committee chairperson Liow Cai Tung.

Wan Azizah, who is also the women, family and community development minister, said the Talian Kasih 15999 hotline that was introduced to help victims to get assistance, received 651 applications involving cases of child abuse and domestic violence.

Of the total, she said, 75 cases were in Johor, making it the state with third highest number of cases in the country.

As such, she expressed the need for the society to be more caring and be the “ears and eyes” for the Women's Ministry by reporting such cases, so that investigation can be conducted and necessary assistance could be provided to the victims.

Wan Azizah said the ministry, through the state women development committee, would continue to organise special programmes to address violence against women as the problem would not only affect the victims, but also their families, the community and the country.

She said it was her hope that all quarters would cooperate to ensure the success of programmes aimed at enhancing public awareness of violence against women.

In another development, the deputy prime minister said until last Dec 31, a total of 63,132 women nationwide had registered for the Suri Incentive (i-Suri) voluntary contribution scheme and 25,674 women who were not eligible for i-Suri having registered for the i-Saraan voluntary retirement contribution scheme.

"i-Suri was launched on Aug 8, 2018 to provide a basic social security network for housewives who shoulder the responsibility of raising and educating children.

"They are exposed to risks should anything unfortunate happen to their family,” she said, adding that 1,177 housewives in Johor were registered with i-Suri until Dec 31 last year.

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah welcomed efforts by the Johor government to introduce the 'Mama Friendly' programme by providing nursing rooms at government offices for working mothers.

The programme would be carried out through the Darul Ta'zim Family Development Foundation (YPKDT) at the state government’s administrative centre in Kota Iskandar, before it is expanded to other government premises, she said.

- Bernama