Malaysian Govt seeks cupid services for single women

Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 2 (ANI): Malaysia's Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has urged NGOs to launch dating services for single women so that single mothers can find suitable partners.

"The ministry is not going to set up cupid clubs or dating services. But we are open to the idea and we can work together with NGOs on this. They should make a proposal and come and see us," the New Straits Times quoted her, as saying.

After opening the "Empowering Women Who are Single Again" seminar at the Sunway Medical Centre on Saturday, Shahrizat said that having cupid clubs was not a bad idea as it does not go against "our customs or religious beliefs.".

"It's like the olden days where we had match making or arranged marriages done by our parents.

"But the ministry has no time to do this. We have to look at the policies and other governmental matters. But we welcome the NGOs to organise them and they can approach us for help," she said.

The number of single mothers in Malaysia is about a million by now.

She said her ministry would help the hardcore poor single mothers via the entrepreneurship programme which would be launched by Amanah Ikhtar Malaysia soon.he programme aims to create 4,000 women entrepreneurs by 2012.

"Our emphasis now is to help them to improve their standard of living by giving them the necessary skills," she said. (ANI)