Women wings of Pakatan Rakyat launch the Buku Jingga for women which is also dubbed the Agenda Wanita Malaysia that promises RM50 a month for each housewife through Caruman Wanita Nasional and compulsory contributions of RM10 to RM100 a month from husbands to wives for the purpose of savings. In regard to this announcement, Gerakan Wanita Secretary General Jayanthi is surprised that Gerakan Wanita’s initial call in 2010 to the government to set up a Women’s Provident Fund to help abandoned families of all races back is being imitated by the women wings of PR.

Jayanthi maintains that during the Wanita National Delegate Conference in 2005, Gerakan Wanita were the first to resolve that ‘upon marriage the husband makes a compulsory contribution of a certain percentage of his earnings to the Women’s Provident Fund. This fund could be managed by the EPF Department itself or by an independent body. Numerous calls have been reiterated including one in September 2010 and again during the Gerakan 40th National Delegates Conference in October last year to urge the government to set up a Women’s Provident Fund to help abandoned families of all races.

“I am in fact delighted by the fact that our persisting efforts and struggles to uphold and improve the welfare of women is being seconded by PR,” as Jayanthi is amused that the women wings of PR are bankrupt of original initiatives and ideas.