Liew among seven women receiving outstanding award
KOTA KINABALU: The United Sabah Chinese Communities Association of Kota Kinabalu (USCCAKK) celebrated its women members through an International Women’s Day Celebration and Appreciation Dinner here on Thursday night.
Chief Minister’s wife Datin Seri Juliah Salag was the guest of honour of the celebration which also saw seven women receiving awards for their achievements.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew received the Most Outstanding Women Award for her contribution to the state and country.
USCCAKK president Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen in her speech said the muchcoveted award is in recognition of the minister’s significant contributions to Malaysian society, state and nation.
Describing (Datuk) Liew as a “role model” and an “iconic wellrounded woman” to Malaysian women in Sabah, Wong said the former MP for Tawau will go down in history as the first Chinese woman to be appointed Deputy Chief Minister in 2018.
“Liew’s positive attributes of determination, perseverance, diligence and resilience are a source of inspiration to aspiring women out there.
“I spotted her propensity for helping people even before she became an elected representative in 2013. Liew is an individual, who is optimistic and persistent, and will not give up easily as reflected in the inherent ups and downs of her political journey since the 1980s.
“We are happy that she has made a comeback as Tourism Minister after a lapse of two years. She is regarded as the right person for the portfolio,” said Wong.
The USCCAKK president said the younger generation of women may not be aware that Liew became the first Chinese woman to contest in a parliamentary election when she stood in Tawau in the 1986.
“She was an active and dynamic woman leader even in her younger days,” Wong added.
“On record, Liew founded the Tawau Chinese Women Association in 1989, and spearheaded the formation of several similar associations. This paved the path for the inauguration of the Sabah United Chinese Women Association (SUCWA) in 1995.
Subsequently, she headed SUCWA as its founder president (1996-1998), and was instrumental in setting up the Confederation of Sabah and Sarawak Federations of Chinese Women Associations as protem deputy president in 1996 before helming the organisation as president and then honorary president until the early years of the new millennium.”
When interviewed, lawyerturned politician Liew, who founded the Society of Hope Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in 2007, said, “I am deeply honoured by the kind gesture of the United Sabah Chinese Communities Association of Kota Kinabalu led by Susan. I would like to share this accolade with women from the Tionghua and other communities.
“Women empowerment through education and training, coupled with an unwavering commitment to one’s endeavour, is a powerful tool for us to break the glass ceiling and move on to a new stage of our lives.
“Multitasking women can jointly rule the world (alongside their supportive male counterparts) if they (women) are confident, focused, meticulous and believe in their abilities,” said Liew who practised law for 20 years before her appointment as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment in 2018.
Earlier in her speech, Wong said the six recipients of the Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award and the Most Outstanding Women Award are all talented and beautiful ladies.
“They are strong women who have built successful careers with their extraordinary wisdom and intelligence. Their struggles and determination to succeed inspire countless ladies to strive for their dreams.
“So, tonight, we wish to take this opportunity to recognize these seven ladies’ achievements, the hardships they have endured, and their sacrifices that have made them who they are today,” Wong stressed.
The six recipients of the Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award were Molly Moo Li, Lam Lee Chin, Stephanie Wee, Jessie Jong, Dr Serrene Tan and Regina Cheung Tzit Ling.