Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor today expressed her appreciation and thanks to all Members of Parliament for supporting the Child Sexual Offences Bill 2017.

Rosmah, who is the patron of Permata Negara (Permata) programme also hoped that the bill would be passed and put into effect as soon as possible to avoid untoward incidents among the children.

The bill, which was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said yesterday addresses sexual offences against children and the punishment, including for child pornography, as well as physical and non-physical sexual assaults.

"InsyaAllah (they can do it).. because even the opposition is supporting it now, so there is no issue for them not to approve the bill," she told reporters after flagging off participants of Permata On Wheels programme at Seri Perdana here today.

The 'Permata On Wheels' is an outreach programme that aims to bring awareness to the community about the importance of education and care for children under the age of four.

"We bought a second-hand refurbished bus at a cost of around RM40,000 will be used to take the participants to carry out their activities with the local communities in rural and remote areas, especially the Orang Asli villages," she said.

Rosmah said for the first edition of the programme, the participants would stay for two days in Kampung Chang Baru, Bidor, Perak.

Six other selected locations where the 'Permata on Wheels' will stop by are Kg Simpang Arang in Gelang Patah, Johor; Sungai Besar in Selangor; Bintulu in Sarawak; Keningau in Sabah; Felda Palong in Negeri Sembilan; and Padang Serai, Kedah.

-- BERNAMA