KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg says he has a policy in mind aimed at supporting women, as long as Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) remains as the state government and he continues as Chief Minister.
However, he kept mum on the plan and refused to elaborate.
“We will study it and hopefully the state government will remain,” he said when speaking at the Sarawak Women X: Global Innovative Entrepreneurship programme at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here yesterday.
“What we have implemented thus far is monitored. If these (policies) are successful, then of course they will be expanded,” he added.
He said that the intention of GPS was to serve the people well and hoped that Sarawak would always be politically stable with friendly policies.
The chief minister pointed out that the state government had implemented a new and different approach to welfare.
“Besides welfare assistance, we also empower women so that they have new means to obtain income and involve themselves in economic activities which are not only confined to the Sarawak market but go beyond that,” said Abang Johari.
He revealed that the state government was in the process of transforming the state’s economy to one based on technology.
“I am confident that the people of Sarawak, including women, now have suitable educational background for this economic transformation.”
He believed that online businesses or those based on technology would be able to change the future of women, adding that he had encountered many who have been successful in their efforts.
“Though these women entrepreneurs had small to medium enterprises (SMEs), they successfully captured the international market,” he said.
He emphasised that there was also support for entrepreneurs such as training, a state government allocation of RM30 million to help SMEs, RM2 million as capital grant to benefit particularly women entrepreneurs and incubators.
Touching on welfare support, Abang Johari said that GPS had listened to the various requests and needs of the people and provided assistances accordingly, such as the Kenyalang Gold Card, RM1,000 endowment fund for newborns, and RM450 for post-natal care upon giving birth.
Also present were the chief minister’s wife Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang, Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus and Assistant Minister of Community Wellbeing Datuk Francis Harden Hollis.
