By THOMAS HUONG

THE Malaysian Coalition For The Prevention Of Child Sexual Abuse has spent RM136,000 as of December last year out of the RM500,000 raised from a charity gala dinner on Dec 20, 2002.

“The cost of organising the gala dinner came to about RM200,000. Thus, we still have more than RM160,000 left to spend by the end of the year,” said MCPCSA chairman Sabri Abdul Rahman at a press conference in Shah Alam recently.

Sabri said the funds went towards the publishing of materials on prevention of child sexual abuse and advocacy as well as organising community awareness talks, workshops and the annual Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Week.

For instance, Association of Registered Child Care Providers of Malaysia assistant secretary Rogayah Saad said the organisation had set up workshops to create awareness among the public on child sexual abuse in Sarawak, Sabah and Gombak from September last year until February.

Last year, Pusat Majudiri Y For The Deaf (YMCA Kuala Lumpur), the only organisation for the deaf in the coalition, carried out activities such as a personal safety programme for seven deaf children between the ages of eight and 10 and a 3D/2N sex education camp for 31 deaf teenagers at Dusun Eco-Resort, Karak.

This was explained by Pusat Majudiri Y programme co-ordinator Jessica Mak through a sign language translator.

Upcoming events organised by Young Achievers’ Club, another member of MCPCSA, this year include the Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Week, to be held from May 29 to June 1 at the Summit USJ Shopping Complex, Subang Jaya.

According to the club’s committee head Jennifer Guan, among the activities planned for the awareness week, themed Teens Take Charge, are a treasure hunt and cheerleading competition.

“We need to raise awareness on child sexual abuse among teenagers,” said 16-year-old Guan, a student of SM Sri Cempaka in Cheras.

MCPCSA, which was launched in April 2001, has 23 member organisations comprising non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and companies that have come together to combat child sexual abuse in Malaysia via education and information dissemination.

For details, call 03-7784 4344/55 or email protect@psthechildren.org

Alternatively, SMS by typing CSA and send to DAPAT (32728).