KUALA LUMPUR: The Home and Health ministries are set to present data on social ills involving youths, says Hannah Yeoh.
"Data on issues such as diabetes, mental health and even rape case which is quite high, will be presented to the committee.
"This will enable the respective ministries to implement more accurate intervention programmes which will help solve these issues," the Youth and Sports Minister said after attending the Cabinet Committee on Youth Development here on Monday (March 20).
She cited an example where coordinated efforts between ministries helped to swiftly resolve bankruptcy issues affecting young Malaysians.
"For example, when we raised the issue of youth bankruptcy with Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said who is Minister in charge of Law and Institutional Reforms) in December.
"She did a good job and moved swiftly and tabled amendments.
"This was also raised by the Prime Minister in the Budget 2023," she said.
On Feb 24, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling Budget 2023, announced that the bankruptcy status for 120,000 insolvents would be automatically lifted starting March 1.
On Feb 27, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), that individuals who met three conditions could apply to the Insolvency Department to have their bankruptcy lifted beginning March 1.
Anwar also said the government would amend the Insolvency Act 1967 to make it easier to lift the bankruptcy status of individuals.
Yeoh said this approach would avoid overlapping youth programmes and wastage of funds by the ministries if done in a coordinated manner.
She said the data report by the Home and Health ministries is expected to be tabled to the committee likely after June.
On a separate matter, Yeoh also said that initial discussions were held to transfer the youth training programmes under the National Youth Training Institute (IKBN) to the Human Resources Ministry.
However, she said the proposal was still at a very early stage and approval from the Cabinet committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was still needed.
The Cabinet committee met for the first time on Monday (March 20) involving representatives from 29 ministries.
