LUNDU – Grassroots leaders must serve as the eyes, ears, mouth, and heart of the government, ensuring rural communities receive crucial support and that their voices are heard, said Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Dato Sri Nancy Shukri.
Speaking at the Briefing Programme on the Services of Agencies Under KPWKM, held at the SALCRA Bajo Training Centre Auditorium, Nancy emphasised that local leaders play a pivotal role in conveying government initiatives and responding to the needs of their communities.
“Various allocations have been channelled to Sarawak—including RM209.67 million for monthly assistance via the Social Welfare Department and RM1.3 million through LPPKN for women’s health screenings. It’s vital that grassroots leaders help spread this information,” she said.
The LPPKN allocation will allow more than 1,700 women to receive mammogram test subsidies and over 1,500 women to undergo cervical cancer screening across the state.
Nancy encouraged community heads to proactively register rural citizens, especially persons with disabilities (OKU) and senior citizens, to ensure they are not excluded from available welfare support.
“We currently have over 56,000 registered OKU in Sarawak, with more than 2,000 involved in community rehabilitation programmes, and 20 Senior Citizen Activity Centres (PAWE) statewide serving over 6,400 active members,” she added.
An information exhibition was also held during the event, featuring multiple agencies under the ministry. Local residents engaged directly with officials to gain insight into available services and programmes, ranging from women’s health to elderly welfare and family planning.
Nancy concluded by urging grassroots leaders to be empathetic bridges between the people and the government.
“You are not just administrators—you are voices of reason, eyes for the unseen, ears to listen, and hearts that carry the weight of your people’s wellbeing,” she said.
