Kota Kinabalu: The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Women need to be knowledgeable on Sabah claims of the 40 per cent entitlement of net revenue from the Federal and formation of Malaysia.
GRS Deputy Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan, who made the call, said the GRS women, especially the machinery, must be confident when imparting such vital information to the people, especially to the grassroots.
He said they must be empowered by learning and acquiring the important information on Sabah’s rights and interests.
“Even if the GRS women have good communication skills but if they do not have vital knowledge on Sabah claims and do not know what to say, then their campaign to reach out to the people would not be effective.
“That’s why it is important for them to be empowered by having knowledge about our (Sabah) fight so that they are more confident when campaigning to convince the people,” Dr Jeffrey said.
He said this while representing the Chief Minister after launching the roadshow of GRS Women Zone 2 at Kian Kok Middle School, here, last Sunday.
He also presented excellence awards to several women from the seven component parties who excelled in their fields.
Also present were GRS Women Chairperson Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun, heads of the seven component parties, women leaders and members.
“They should learn not only just the concept but more on facts. They need to read and understand the Constitution, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),
Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) report and they also need to know the 20-Point Agreement and overall, where are we now so that they will know the way forward.
“For instance the GRS Wanita Chairperson is very knowledgeable in all these and she has to empower her literacy on those issue and pass down right down to the grassroots level because one of our struggles is what we often chant about which is the ‘Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga’ (Our House, Our Care).
“What does it mean? This is where the GRS members also need to understand what does the slogan means and what must be achieved through its empowerment,” he said.
Dr Jeffrey also expressed his full support on a need to increase women participation and representation in politics because at national level, women participation in the field is less than 15 per cent.
“We hope in Sabah, we could start fulfilling that objective (to increase women participation to 30 per cent in decision-making field).
“Women are as good as men and maybe better. In fact, the women have advantages and strengths which they should capitalise,” he said.
At this juncture, Azizah told the reporters that achieving the target of 30 per cent women participation in decision-making has been their struggle for a long time and pleased that Dr Jeffery fully supports such aspiration.
“The GRS women are feeling in high spirit when we hear such support by Dr Jeffrey. But that’s not all we see in this struggle.
“Actually the most important thing is that we must uphold the GRS slogan – Sabah First, ‘Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga’ – this is our true struggle and we want the people of Sabah to embrace it, regardless of races where Sabah has more than 30 ethnic groups.
“In fact, we in Sabah are all under one struggle which is to love Sabah because Sabah is our home that we must care for together,” she said.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
