Mardiah recalls challenging times with SFWI
LIMBANG: Travelling on board an excavator to visit the Trusan/ Lawas branch of Sarawak Federation of Women’s Institute (SFWI) in the late 90s is among the unforgettable experiences of former chairperson of SFWI Limbang/Lawas, Mardiah Awang Said.
Mardiah, who served the branch for 26 years and three months before retiring last year, said that very incident were among the challenges that strengthened her determination to lead the institute to success.
“The incident was during heavy rains, when the bridge we were about cross had been swept away by strong currents. The villagers resorted to using the excavator to fetch me – I was still wearing our corporate yellow ‘baju kurung’ – across to the other side of the river. It was a scary moment as one could be swept away by strong currents. Till today, I still have a phobia of excavators,” she told reporters yesterday.
However, it did not dampen her determination to serve SFWI to the best of her ability.
“There were many happy memories too, like broadening my knowledge of cultures and traditions of the Iban community, joining them for Gawai, wearing their traditional attire and taking part in the ritual of putting down the ‘renjai’,” she reminisced.
Mardiah was happy that SFWI members in the longhouse were very adaptable to changes including fostering rapport with other multiracial members. She cited the impactful ‘Badudun’ programme in 2000 where members visited one another’s branches to enhance understanding and cooperation.
Some 90 per cent of SFWI branches are involved in economic activities such as business expositions.
Meanwhile, Mardiah thanked the elected representatives in Limbang and Lawas, as well as several government agencies for their strong support such as providing government grants to SFWI.
PPWS Limbang has 49 branches while Lawas, 25.
The recent farewell gathering was attended by the present Limbang/ Lawas SFWI chairwoman Nurul Izza Hanis and her counterpart at SFWI Limbang, Dayang Suridah Mohamad Superi.