Thu, 2010-08-26 12:25
Few years ago when I first conducted the ‘City Survival’ program, an all female program, together with my NGO friend K Bala, many people either frowned upon me, or simply shrugged with a cynical grin. They thought that should be the concern of feminists. The Party insiders were questioning of its relevance and political mileage in the partisan politics; while others were wondering if we were contemplating to conduct classes of self-defense for the women.
Bala and I remained focused and adamant that this social caring program for the women should carry on, perhaps nationwide as well as be updated with more new elements of pre-empting the increasingly sophisticated crime confronting the women folk.
Knowing that Bala has been doing the necessary research on the subject matter consistently, I have no doubts that his work could help me in realizing my dream of making the ‘City Survival’ program a nationwide initiative that is both relevant and useful to the women folk in the present perspective. I personally take it as a cross-gender concern and intervention initiative in view of the escalating menace to the women. It should in no way be viewed as a mere feminist concern as both Bala and I are of the opposite gender.
It is a three-and-a- half hour long workshop session strictly for the females of 13 years old or above only. Bala, the designer and the instructor of the module, would impart tips and knowledge to the lady participants on ways and means to fend off, or at the very least, be able to escape from danger in face of moments of ordeal.
From our past experience in conducting the program in both Pandan parliamentary constituency I represent and outside Pandan, the response has been consistently good. Come this year, I made this one of the programs under the agenda of women protection in my Social Caring Agenda. This is a wide encompassing initiative embracing all races. It might begin in Pandan but is certainly not going to be a mere constituency event.
To-date, my OTK Service Centre, alongside Yayasan Bakti Nusa Malaysia, an NGO of which I am the executive advisor, have committed to bring this ‘City Survival’ program to more localities in the country with the full support of Bala and his team. The program has also been given an additional impetus when YB Senator Heng Seai Kie, the Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Social Development Ministry, gave the program her full support, endorsement and facilitation.
The first session of the series is scheduled for 28/8/10 at MPAJ ( Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya) Auditorium from 9am till 1pm. The session will be conducted in English and Bahasa Malaysia. As the host of the program, unfortunately I can only join the lady participants at the closing ceremony as I am not a female, thus having no right of entry during conduct of the session. Of course, I am fully aware that this has always been Bala’s rules as he wants to avert unnecessary embarrassment while conducting the course. To me, my main concern would always be focused on how well and how pervasive the program could ever benefit the target group.
At the end of the program, I presume, all participants would be given a chance to appraise the module contents as planned.
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