Sarawak women on the rise

IT has been a year of women power for Sarawak in 2019, with many prominent appointments within the state, as well as at national and even international level.

The women of Sarawak have indeed continued to make waves with their contributions to society. Here we take a look at some of the ladies who put Sarawak in the spotlight this year.

Lucy Lingam

Paliani Samba Bilaidom alias Lucy Lingam, 66, was promoted to Penghulu India of Kuching in January, becoming the first Indian woman Penghulu in Sarawak. She previously served as a Kapitan, holding the post from 2007 until the end of 2018.

She has devoted a lot of her time to social work through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) since 1988, when she began as sub-committee chairperson of an Indian organisation in Sarawak.

Lucy joined politics in the 1980s, choosing the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) as her platform.

During her tenure as Kapitan, she formed the Sarawak Indian Women’s Association (Siwa).

She is also the founder of the Sarawak Silambam Association and owner of LL Banana Leaf Restaurant, which was established 26 years ago.

Some of Lucy’s other achievements include being appointed an exco member and head for Indian Affairs under the Kuching Chinese Community Leaders Association, as well as contributing to the completion and publication of the Sarawak Indian Women Heritage book.

Dr Madeline Berma

In June this year, Dr Madeline Berma became the first Iban woman to be appointed Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) Sarawak commissioner.

She will serve for the term 2019 to 2022.

Madeline was an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics and Management, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) until she retired in 2018.

She was a member of research teams conducting policy-impact studies on poverty in Sarawak, urban poverty in four major towns in Sarawak, policies on women in Johor, Dayak education, socialisation in Sarawak, women labour force needs for the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), Sabah women’s development plan, Orang Asli development in Tasik Chini, and education policy review.

Madeline also served as deputy chair, Education Policy Review (Oct 2018 to May 2019), and was also the director of the Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre, UKM from 2011 to 2016.

She was a member of the Malaysian government’s delegation to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (2015 to 2017), and Women and Economy Forum (2012) in Russia.

Madeline has worked extensively with government agencies and NGOs, particularly on economic empowerment programmes.

The federal government had appointed Madeline to seven national-level consultative committees – the National Unity and Consultative Committee (NUCC); Women’s Advisory and Consultative Council; Consultative Committee on Political Funding; Committee to Promote Inter-Religious Harmony and Understanding; Public Complaints Bureau; National Heritage Council; and Committee on Education Policy Review.

Madeline received her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Hull, England; Masters of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Bachelor of Economics from UKM.

Alice Lau

Alice Lau Kiong Yieng, who is serving her second term as Lanang member of parliament, replaced Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairperson on Oct 1. Her term will run until Sept 20, 2022.

A pharmacist by profession, Lau has a Master of Pharmacy from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Fenny Nuli

Fenny Nuli, 48, was named Malaysia’s Ambassador to Peru in October. She received her letter of credence from Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

Hailing from Rumah Sebangki Panjai, Lubok Antu in Sri Aman, she was previously deputy head of mission at the Malaysian Embassy in Brussels, Belgium from 2016.

She also previously served as assistant director (Asean) from 1997 to 2001, before being assigned as second secretary at the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland from 2001 until 2002, and second secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Warsaw, Poland from 2002 until 2005.

Fenny later returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as assistant secretary (finance) from 2005 to 2006, before being designated as director (Asean) from 2006 until 2008.

She also served as Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in Bangkok from 2009 until 2012, principal assistant secretary (multilateral economic and environment) from 2013 until 2015, and undersecretary (international cooperation and development) from 2015 until 2016.

Fenny is the first Iban woman and second Dayak woman to be appointed a Malaysian envoy.

Last year, Gloria Corina Peter Tiwet, a Bidayuh from Kampung Tanjong Singai, was appointed Malaysian High Commissioner to Nigeria.

Fenny left for Peru in mid-November, where she will also be accredited to Bolivia, Panama, and Colombia.

Her appointment is for three years.