BATANG KALI: The Orang Asli community has never been sidelined from mainstream development, said Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

"Sixty-two per cent or 534 Orang Asli villages deep in the interior now have basic amenities such as 24-hour electricity, treated water and land development projects and their people have fixed incomes," he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: A nationwide campaign to educate Malaysians on children's rights was launched by the Puteri wings of Barisan Nasional yesterday.

The "Life is Precious" campaign focuses on the key elements that are important for the optimal development of children, namely health, safety and education.

Puteri Umno chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the campaign also aimed to create awareness of abuse and abandoned babies.

SEREMBAN: Hearing impaired Muhamad Ridhwan Abdullah is desperate.

The 42-year-old bachelor walked all the way to Putrajaya from here to meet Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil after being told that he was ineligible for aid from the Welfare Department.

BERA, April 4 (Bernama) -- The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry is amending the Direct Sales Act 1993 to protect consumers from becoming victims of people who attempt to maximise profit from direct sales, Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Sunday.

The amended act would help prevent consumers from being exploited by people who cheat purchasers, he said.

The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) will hold its first official meeting in Jakarta on Sunday to discuss short- and long-term work plans as well as the rules of procedures (RoP) for their three-year-long mandate.

The 10 members, each from one Asean member country, will discuss what they are going to do this year, over  the next three years and for the next five years.