Puteri Umno to raise drop-out issue at Umno assembly

KUALA LUMPUR: Puteri Umno will raise the issue of unemployment among the younger generation at the 2014 Umno General Assembly next week.

Its head, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin, said this was to reflect the voice of the people on the matter.

She said the issue would be brought up based on current developments of 69 per cent (26,030) of student intake into science and arts courses in 10 institutes of higher learning for the academic year 2014/2015 were women and 31 per cent (11,437) men.

“Puteri Umno is happy with the latest developments where more young women are educated and progressing, but does the employment market provide the same opportunities to women as to men?

“This issue should be discussed in order to reduce the number of unemployed graduate women and I will bring this up in the policy speech of Puteri head,” she told Bernama yesterday.

Mas Ermieyati said she received messages via the short messaging system (SMS), Facebook and WhatsApp from youths every day asking for help to get jobs.

“Which is why if there is information on job opportunities, I will share it on Facebook for their benefit,” she said.

At the same time, Mas Ermieyati who is also the Member of Parliament for Masjid Tanah said Puteri Umno would focus on aspects of a better life for the younger generation as well as increasing religious programmes which could shape the personality and thinking of the young.

“Puteri’s focus will also include three main issues - religion, race and nation, besides economic, educational and social matters which affect the interests of young women,” she said.

She also said Puteri had organised frequent workshops and discussions with the speakers from each state to improve the quality of their debate at the Umno assembly.

“We sent them for courses as early as three months ago to get knowledge in various fields. I hope this early preparation would help show the maturity of Puteri members.

“They may have had less experience because about 80 per cent of them are new leaders with little exposure and are not used to speaking in public in the past,” she said.