Fatimah (fifth left, second row) with women leaders after the appreciation ceremony on theSarawak River Cruise.
KUCHING: Datuk Fatimah Abdullah welcomes the recent announcement by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem that two women candidates would be fielded in the coming state election.
The Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development said women in the state could not be more grateful for the good news as it showed a huge confidence in women’s capability to deliver.
“We are now to work even harder although we have already been working hard all this while. We thank the chief minister for having faith in women in politics and his trust in the ability of women.
“We, all the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, have to work together not just to help woman candidates but all the BN candidates to win with increasing margin in the coming state election.
“If women are elected, they will give their best. A lot of women have the ability to serve in politics,” she told reporters after the State Women’s Day 2015 appreciation ceremony on the Sarawak River Cruise yesterday.
Fatimah pointed out that state BN women would have to go the extra mile in the coming state polls, given that “politics today is different from before”.
She said not only had voters developed higher expectation of services, they also paid attention to the capability and quality of candidates.
Asked whether the two women candidates Adenan meant would come from only PBB, she said: “We have to ask him.”
Despite that, Fatimah said she hoped all BN component parties would put forward women candidates in the next election.
“This is so that women can showcase their talents. And also a way to maximise their talents.”
When delivering her appreciation speech earlier, Fatimah said the theme for Women’s Day 2016 would be ‘Sarawak Women in Education: Shaping Mind, Body and Spirit’.
She added that a book which was expected to carry the same title would be launched next year.
This year’s state-level Women’s Day themed ‘Sarawak Women in Arts’ was marked on Oct 17.
She said the objectives of this year’s celebration were met.
“It was a grand event and would not be successful without the concerted efforts of you all. I thank you from the bottom of all our hearts for making it a success.”
Among those present was state Women and Family Department director Noriah Ahmad.