Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) president Marina Mahathir today suggested that a special body be set up to deal with the AIDS pandemic and that it be placed under the purview of the prime minister.

"Setting up a body under the prime minister would ensure that there is political will to raise awareness on the issue and an impact can be created on the issue," Marina told participants of an AIDS forum today.

"Public figures must also talk about the stigma and must be seen with people living with HIV/AIDS to create awareness," Marina added.

The five-day forum entitled 'HIV/AIDS situation in Malaysia: Are we doing enough?' was organised by the council in conjunction with World AIDS Day last Saturday. Speakers included Health Minister Chua Jui Meng, Universiti Malaya academic Dr Wong Yut Lin and council vice-president Dr Low Bin Tuck.

Move lauded

Chua, who spoke to reporters after the forum, lauded Marina's suggestion.

"The ministry would be very happy if the idea could be carried through and I would personally advocate for it during cabinet meetings," he said.

Marina, who is also the daughter of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said that there was a need to decrease the social stigma which is associated with the disease.

"There is a policy now of separating HIV-positive drug users and inmates in prisons. If you do that, there would be a stigma that uninfected people would have to avoid those who are HIV-positive.

"This gives the public the message that incarceration and separation is prevention," Marina said.

Marina, an AIDS and women's rights activist, said that more women in the population were becoming infected with the HIV virus.

"The reported cases of women rose from one percent to 10 percent over the last 10 years," Marina said.

According to her women must be empowered by teaching them about their rights to say no to sex and talking to men about sexual responsibility.