Fatimah (seated, third left) and Tarsiah on her left, together with MWKS and MPWS members, gather for a photo-call. Also seen are Rosey and Noriah (seated, second left and left, respectively). — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Members of Sarawak Women and Family Council (MWKS) and Sabah Women Advisory Council (MPWS) share many similarities and can learn from one another to improve the standing of women in both states.
Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said both councils must transform their roles and be adaptable in order to stay current, especially in the push towards digital economy.
“Their role in Sabah is almost the same as ours — advising the government on women and family affairs, although we differ slightly in structure,” said Fatimah after welcoming a delegation from MPWS at Wisma Wanita, Jalan Sultan Tengah here yesterday.
Led by their chairperson Datuk Dr Tarsiah Taman, the group was here to visit their Sarawakian counterparts and also to brief MWKS on their functions and objectives.
During their meeting, they exchanged points on their respective roles and learned about what the other party was doing differently.
“We heard about the good things they are doing in Sabah, which we can learn from and see how it can be adopted in Sarawak. They’ve also heard about what we are doing. They are interested in areas like our resource centre, publications, childcare centre, and training centre,” Fatimah told reporters.
She told the Sabahan delegation that MWKS ‘is at their service’, and that they would open up a line of communication via a WhatsApp group.
Also present were Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus, the ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Saadiah Samat, and the state Women and Family Department director Noriah Ahmad.