Wednesday December 13, 2006
Divorce rate worrying
THE divorce rate has reached a worrying stage in the country and there is nothing the Government can do to reduce the number.
Women, Family and Community Development Ministry parliamentary secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said it would be impossible for the Government to lower the number of divorce cases to a satisfactory level.
“Families face greater challenges from various aspects these days due to a hectic lifestyle as well as financial constraints.
“To overcome family conflicts, Muslims and Christians conduct pre-marriage courses for couples,” she said when replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohamad Aziz (BN – Sri Gading).
Mohamad said there were more divorces compared to marriages now.
Chew also said that the National Family Development and Community Board had drawn up a module for pre-marriage courses.
“The board has selected over 240 facilitators; they will organise programmes throughout the country,” she said, adding that a family care complex would be built for family-related activities.
Earlier, while replying to Nasaruddin Hashim (BN – Parit), Chew said the programme for pre-marriage courses was known as SMARTSTART while another course for working parents was Parenting @Work.
She said couples preparing to get married would learn about their roles and responsibilities and how to uphold their marriages.
“The course packages prepare information and parenting advice including six aspects that are related to wedding preparation, the marriage institution, family, pregnancy and birth, management of family income as well as how to face conflicts and pressure,” she added.
Chew told the House that between last year and September this year, 220 SMARTSTART programmes had been carried out at the grassroots level with the co-operation of state Women and Family Development Councils, which involved 19,329 participants.
“Thirty-three SMARTSTART courses had also been carried out this year with the co-operation of non-governmental organisations and religious bodies, where 1,650 participants took part,” she said.
For the Parenting@Work programme, Chew said the Government would introduce the programme to the private sector.
Under the programme, she said the ministry would create awareness on the importance of the family institution and conduct educational and family development activities to improve parenting skills and counselling.
“The programme will also use the preventive and developmental approach for target groups such as teenagers, parents, new couples and those who are about to get married.”
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