PM's website to channel grievances and ideas

PEKAN, Sat:

Anyone wishing to address grievance or give ideas for national betterment can channel them directly to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi the website www.warkahuntukpm.com.my, launched yesterday by Datuk Seri Najib Razak at his family's residence here.

"It is going to be an important interactive channel which will contribute betterment of the people," said Najib. “We will keep this website open beyond the elections and use it as a means to keep tabs on people's attitudes and views towards issues affecting their lives."

Najib said the website will enable the people to feel "closer" to the government. The first 100 posters who come up with good ideas at the website will have the opportunity to meet the prime minister personally.

The website is an initiative by a group of non-governmental organisations with Abdullah agreeing to be its owner. Malaysian first angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will act as an ambassador of the website to promote its usage among the people.

The seven non-governmental organisations involved in the project will manage the website messages, ensure follow-up actions and ensuring that all emails send through it reached the prime minister. It was placed under the joint chairmanship of Malay Research and Strategy Foundation chairman Tan Sri Hashim Meon and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia vice-chencellor Professor Datuk Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin, who is also the president of National Council of Women's Organisations.
The other NGOs are the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations, Cuepecs, Tabung Amanah Muhibah and Malaysian Workers Foundation. The website operates in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil.

--NST