PETALING JAYA: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry welcomes the proposal to freeze the bank accounts of alimony defaulters and will work with the relevant authorities to implement the practice by this year.

       "Based on information we received, many ex-husbands fail to provide alimony. So (with this measure in force) the ex-wives will be able to receive it, ” Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun (pic) told reporters after the launching of the new image of the Pusrawi Maternity Hospital and Polyclinic in Kota Damansara here Sunday (March 20).

       "Ex-wives who are not paid alimony can complain via the Talian Kasih line at 15999 or the ministry's other platforms,” she added.

       On Saturday (March 19), while winding up the debate at Umno's General Assembly, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the bank accounts of men who violated court orders to provide maintenance to their ex-wives would be frozen.

       He said this was among the matters decided upon by the government to protect women and ensure that they received what was due from court rulings.

       Besides that, he said widows were allowed to work from home during their iddah (waiting) period of four months and 10 days following their husband’s death while employers could not force them to be in the office during this time out of respect for their situation.

       "This is a welcome move because after losing her husband, a woman has many matters to attend to involving the children and home,” Rina said in response to the announcement.

       "The Covid-19 pandemic has proven that we are equally capable when working from home,” she added. – Bernama