ORANGE flags will be flown on several buildings as well as service centres of assemblymen in Penang from November to December during a campaign to stop violence against women and children.
This is part of an Orange Project that will be launched simultaneously with the eighth edition of the ‘Penang Goes Orange’ (PGO) campaign from Nov 22 to Dec 10 this year.
Chong Eng, the state executive councillor for non-Islamic Religious Affairs and Social Development, said the state government, in collaboration with the state assemblymen’s service centres, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, and private companies would work together to ‘colour’ Penang orange.
“The PGO orange flags will be flown on buildings in Penang as a show of solidarity in the campaign to stop violence against women and children.
“According to police statistics, a total of 9,015 cases of violence were recorded nationwide during the movement control order from March 2020 to August 2021, an average of 500 cases per month.
“The Social Welfare Department recorded 190 cases of domestic violence complaints from March 18 to May 12, 2020, of which 181 cases involved women and nine cases involved men of different ages.
“In Penang, a total of 239 cases of domestic violence were reported from January to June 2021, an increase of 177 cases compared to the same period in 2020. This is equivalent to a 74% increase,” Chong Eng said.
Orange colour is synonymous with the campaign since it was launched in 2014 by Chong Eng’s office, through the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC).
Indeed when the announcement of this year’s campaign was made at the Auditorium A on Level 5 in Komtar today, the place was turned into a sea of orange. All the participants, including Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, donned orange T-shirts.
Chong Eng said to further promote the campaign, this year’s campaign would also involve several individuals who have great influence on social media, such as former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong, Ain Husniza, Dr Malar and Tiya Kamal.
“These individuals will help us spread the awareness through Tik Tok,” Chong Eng said.
In addition, she said PWDC, with the cooperation of the Women and Family Development Committee (JPWK), would distribute orange kits containing exciting activities, to all the 40 state constituencies.
She added that the JPWK and each state constituency would hold about 40 activities during the campaign period.
Chow, in his speech, said the state government is proud that Penang is the first state to have organised the campaign and hoped that other states would implement it as well.
“With the theme ‘Safe Family: Connect, Commit, Collective’, this year’s campaign carries a message to call on the community to join hands to spread awareness and help victims of violence to get help they need.
“Every individual in the state has the right to feel safe. In Penang, we have set up the First Support Point to make it easier for the victims to seek help. The aim of PGO2021 campaign is also to spread public awareness of the functions of the First Support Point,” Chow said.
He added that PWDC, together with Pusat PEGIS, are actively developing an app, called First Support Point Application for victims or the public to identify where the nearest First Support Point location.
The app will be launched simultaneously with the campaign by Penang governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi.
“The campaign proves the seriousness and commitment of the state government in combating violence to provide a safe environment for its people, in line with the Penang2030 vision for a Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation,” Chow said.
Among those present at the ceremony were state Agrotech and Food Security, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin, assemblymen Lim Siew Khim (Sungai Pinang), Joseph Ng Soon Siang (Air Itam), Ong Ah Teong (Jelutong), Goh Choon Aik (Bukit Tambun), Seberang Perai City Council mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud, Penang Island City Council secretary Datuk Addnan Mohd Razali, PWDC chief executive officer Ong Bee Leng.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Alissala Thian
Video by Chan Kok Kuan