Megawati praises Malaysia's initiative to address sexual crimes against children

Former Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri commended Malaysia's initiative to host a seminar to address sexual crimes against children.

Megawati, who is in the country to attend the National Seminar on Child Sexual Crimes starting tomorrow, said the programme, which was inspired by the Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, was timely in view of the problems currently plaguing the world.

"In my keynote address (at the seminar), I will emphasise that many laws have been enacted by the United Nations (UN) and so on, but what is more important is the implementation," she said at a press conference before the dinner at Seri Perdana, here, tonight.

The dinner was hosted by Rosmah in honour of the arrival of the fifth president of Indonesia to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Rosmah, who is patron of PERMATA, said Megawati's presence at the seminar would be the starting point of cooperation between women of the two countries, especially in handling sexual crimes against children.

"I look forward to working closely after this. This is just the beginning," said Rosmah.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Deputy Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching and spokespersons to promote the seminar, namely Lisa Surihani, Harith Iskander and Hunny Madu.

Megawati arrived in Malaysia at 6.08pm today accompanied by Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture, Puan Maharani, and Health Minister Nila Djuwita Anfasa Moeloek.

Megawati is scheduled to deliver a keynote address titled 'ASEAN Cooperation in Combating Child Sexual Crimes' at the seminar to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. -- Bernama