New MP Mastura wants female constituents to brush up on English language

KUALA KANGSAR, 18 Jun -- Calon Barisan Nasional Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid membuang undi di pusat pengundian di Sekolah Kebangsaan Raja Perempuan Muzwin bagi Pilihan Raya Kecil Parlimen Kuala Kangsar hari ini.-- fotoBERNAMA (2016) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

KUALA KANGSAR: Empowering women by teaching them to speak better English is the core mission of the newly-elected Kuala Kangsar MP.

Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid (pic) said proficiency in the language, which has been grossly overlooked, was important for the betterment of women in the constituency.

“With a good command of English, they can work almost anywhere. This is the setback faced by many local women here.

“I hope to do my part and create more opportunities for wo­men to receive training and speak better English,” she told reporters after meeting 40 women representatives from six NGOs at her service centre here yesterday.

Also present was Wanita MCA chief Datuk Heng Seai Kie.

Mastura, who won the seat with a big majority in the recent by-election, said having a good grasp of English could increase one’s self-esteem and help to better develop family and work.

She said her priority would be single mothers so that they would be able to work from home and take care of their children at the same time.

“There are so many aspects we can train them in, such as craftworks and translation.

“I will also give focus on creating more jobs for local youths.”

Mastura said there should be active engagement with them via dialogue so that jobs created by a new industry would not need to be filled by foreign workers.

“We want the locals to work here according to their preferences,” she said, adding that developing tourism in the royal town was another sector to be looked into seriously.

Citing the famous labu sayong craftwork and traditional food such as steamed buns, she said such tourism products had yet to be properly highlighted.

“We could also look into providing buggy services for tourists to travel from one destination to another to reduce traffic woes,” she said.

Another request from the locals dear to her heart was to set up a senior citizens’ day-care centre so that the working class could send their parents there.

The widow of former MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad said she had no intention of slowing down despite having to serve her iddah (waiting period) following her husband’s death.

Asked if she was looking forward to her first appearance in Parliament, Mastura said she would be a team player in the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club.