Women’s roles in decision-making to be enhanced – Uggah
SIBU: Women’s participation in decision-making will be further strengthened to enable them play pivotal roles in the state’s development, according to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He said this in response to Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) Sibu branch chairwoman Datuk Alice Jawan’s call for more women in Sarawak to be given significant posts.
“I support her (Alice) request and will convey this to Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg to see how women can play pivotal roles in the development of the state.
“In Sarawak, about 50 per cent (of the population) are women,” Uggah, who is also Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister told reporters after officiating at SIDS Sibu’s Ngiling Bidai 2017 event here on Saturday night.
Earlier in her speech, Alice expressed her hope that women would be given more opportunity to become community leaders such as Penghulu, Pemanca and Temenggong.
On this, Uggah said: “Whenever we have a women’s gathering, that will be the first agenda on their minds. And Malaysia has responded quite well; Sarawak also — we have responded quite well on this, though not to their satisfaction; I think not even to my satisfaction.
“So, we will find ways and means (to strengthen their participation). Recently, we have just swornin one Dayak and one Malay political secretary — women. That means that we are increasing the participation (of women).
“We welcome their ( SIDS Sibu) call and the government will always give recognition (of women) and that is why one of the permanent secretaries is a lady in the person of Datuk Alice.”
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters later, Alice said SIDS Sibu has been mentioning about women’s leadership roles or more participation as community leaders for some time already.
She pointed out that this was not their first time highlighting the matter as it had been mentioned through several avenues when SIDS Sibu organised their activities.
“We are grateful that we are given one ( post) here in Sibu but we are hoping for more (women to be given posts) because in SIDS, we are grooming leaders.
“And we have young leaders in various fields and I feel that they are all capable women that should be in the policymaking and decision group,” Alice said.
On a separate matter, Uggah called on the organisation to conduct courses to explain to their members about the various programmes that are going to be implemented by the government especially concerning the digital economy.
Adding on, he said a concept practised by the Barisan Nasional ( BN) government is inclusiveness involving all communities in development.