GUA MUSANG: Women in the Nenggiri state constituency, who make up nearly half of the local population, are hoping to play their part in contributing to the local economy and generating income for their families.
In fact, many of them have expressed readiness to attend courses and classes to acquire new skills that could help them earn more money.
Azizah Ibrahim, a 52-year-old masseuse from Kampung Jeram Tekoh, said the long distance between their villages in Nenggiri and the commercial hub in Gua Musang makes it difficult for them to commute regularly.
As a result, many women here opt to be self-employed or take on jobs within their villages to support their families.
“There should be more skills programmes or courses for the women here, such as cooking, sewing classes and others, to help them generate income.
“If they cannot work outside, they would at least have the basic skills to pursue other opportunities, especially with continuous guidance from relevant agencies,” she told Bernama.
The Nenggiri constituency, nearly twice the size of Melaka, is currently facing a by-election. There are 20,259 registered voters, of which 9,938, or 49.05 per cent, are women.
Surrounded by hills and forests, Nenggiri lacks its own commercial centre and most residents earn a living through agriculture, livestock farming and self-employment.
Rubber tapper Siti Noraini Mamat, 48, from Kampung Renok, expressed her hope for fair distribution of aid and programmes across all villages.
“If there is a programme in one village, let other villages benefit as well. Not everyone here can travel to the neighbouring village to participate in the programmes,” she said.
The Nenggiri by-election was called after Kelantan State Assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah declared the seat vacant on June 19 because its assemblyman, Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, had ceased to be a member of Bersatu on June 13.
The by-election is a straight fight between Barisan Nasional candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, who is representing the Unity Government, and PAS candidate Mohd Rizwadi Ismail.
The Election Commission has fixed polling for Aug 17.
