Wife Of Indonesian President Visits Permata Negara Centre

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Iriana Joko Widodo, the wife of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Friday visited the Putrajaya Permata Negara early childhood education and care centre here. Upon her arrival at the centre, Iriana was welcomed by Rosmah Mansor, patron of the Permata programme and wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, as well as Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim. Iriana was briefed on the operations of the centre and taken on a tour of the premises. She also watched a dance performance by some of the children there. The centre has 60 children aged between one and four years, and eight teachers. Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Department Permata Division secretary Saidatu Akhma Hassan said Iriana had given a positive response to the Permata programme and expressed her interest in the initiative. "She said the Permata programme can be emulated and we at Permata Negara nationwide are open for cooperation with any party that wishes to implement a programme such as this," said Saidatu Akhma. She said 700 care centres, involving about 20,000 children, throughout the country used the Permata Negara early childhood education and care programme. Iriana and Rosmah spent about an hour at the centre and then attended a tea reception at the Prime Minister's official residence, Seri Perdana. Indonesian President Joko, better known as Jokowi, is on a three-day state visit to Malaysia beginning Thursday at the invitation of the Malaysian King, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah. This is Jokowi's maiden visit to Malaysia after assuming the office of president on Oct 20 last year. -- BERNAMA