MIRI, 20–22 September 2013 – The Sarawak Indian Women Association (SIWA) successfully concluded its 5-yearly Sarawak Cultural Symposium for the Indian Community at the Dynasty Hotel, Miri, culminating in a powerful call for enhanced community leadership within the state government framework.
The three-day event, focused on preserving Indian cultural heritage, was graced by the presence of then-Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development, YB Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
Major Resolutions for Leadership
A key outcome of the symposium was the adoption of major resolutions urging the government for better representation of the Indian community in the hierarchy of Sarawakian community leaders, specifically the posts of Temenggong, Pemancha, and Penghulu.
At the time, SIWA President Lucy Lingam highlighted the community’s need for direct appointments, noting that she was the only existing Indian community representative holding the post of Kapitan, which was historically a position “loaned” to the Indian community by the Chinese community through the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP).
The resolution emphasized the urgency for the government to create and appoint dedicated Indian community leaders, ensuring their voice and welfare are formally and equally represented across Sarawak’s diverse administrative structure.
