Awang Tengah (centre) and Dayang Morliah (fourth left) pose with the exco members of Perkim Lawas during their Hari Raya gathering.
LAWAS: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and religious bodies play a critical role in meeting the challenges of social ills arising from rapid modernisation and progress that erode moral fibre and religious values.
Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said they should be in the forefront in ensuring that Sarawak has a strong, healthy and vibrant society to sustain and continue its progress.
“Nowadays, the challenges are immense, with drug abuse and other social ills besides the negative impact of social media and others which must be tackled collectively,” he said at the Perkim Lawas branch Hari Raya gathering at his house on Sunday night.
In that respect, said the Bukit Sari assemblyman, the family institution must remain the bedrock of strong moral and religious upbringing to combat social ills.
He commended Perkim Lawas for their impressive outreach and various religious and welfare activities in the district, including being in the forefront in assisting children with special needs in the district.
He disclosed that the state government had given the green light for a Peryatim orphanage to be built here to cater to the orphans in Limbang and Lawas districts.
In addition, he further revealed, Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had advised that a holistic approach be adopted with regards to the orphans to bring them on the path to a better future and to ensure that their welfare is well looked after.
“The board of Lakhil (Lembaga Khairat Islam Lawas) will look into this and Peryatim and Jais can be involved in deciding the kind of assistance to be offered,” he said.
Earlier in her speech, Perkim Lawas branch chairperson Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud thanked members, elected representatives, government departments and agencies, members of the public and kind donors for assisting the branch in caring out its activities in the district.
“Perkim has been able to carry out many activities so far but without your support and ideas, we would not be able to pull it off,” she said.
Among the activities, she said, were long distance adult Quran learning and recital, and welfare assistance for the needy groups during the month of Ramadan and others.
She also said Perkim Lawas was organising a fund-raising ‘Walk of Love’ event to be held later this year to fill its coffers to finance the numerous activities lined up by the executive committee.
Others present at the function included Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, State Financial Secretary Datuk Junaidi Reduan, Temenggong Sabli Hamid, Temengong Kading Ngilo and other community leaders.
The gathering for 500 guests turned out to be a roaring success as the number of those attending was double the expected turnout.