KUCHING: All municipal and city councils in the state will be establishing their own Child Councillors, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian.
Dr. Sim said that after the formation of child councils at the municipal and city council levels, the initiative will extend to the district level.
Noting that Petaling Jaya is the first to establish a child council in Malaysia, he said that Sarawak is next in line.
This follows the establishment of child council under Kuching South City Council (MBKS) in 2024, and the Padawan Child Council under Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) this year.
“This marks a historical moment as they are the first batch of child councillors under MPP.
“I would like to congratulate MPP for fulfilling the agreements stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2023.
“I’m very happy that the lineup is very inclusive in terms of races, religion and educational background.
“This is what Sarawak is about, where we are always inclusive and we should maintain that,” he told reporters after witnessing the swearing-in of Padawan Child Counsillors at MPP headquarters today.
In addition to working closely with MPP, Dr. Sim mentioned that the child councillors will engage in activities such as leadership training and quarterly meetings, among others.
“This isn’t just about appointing them; these activities are part of their training, helping them understand their roles in the community.
“It’s a key part of talent development and nation-building.
“We place significant emphasis on this, as we want them to learn about Sarawak’s values and ensure they continue to uphold them in the future,” he added.
