BETONG: Women entrepreneurs and welfare recipients here must pivot toward digital mastery and financial independence rather than relying indefinitely on government aid.
Deputy Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Mohammad Razi Sitam said the Sarawak Women@Work Programme — aligned with the Social Services sector under PCDS 2030 — was specifically designed to achieve this by bridging the gap between grassroots talent and modern commerce.
“Our goal is to enhance the capabilities of women entrepreneurs, particularly in marketing and product development, by improving business processes and adopting technology,” Razi said at the closing ceremony of the division-level programme today.
Razi, who is also the Saribas assemblyman, urged recipients of the Sarawak Women Head of Household Assistance (KIRWaS) to view financial aid strictly as a stepping stone toward self-reliance. He also called for stronger synergy between agencies, industries and the community to digitalize welfare and public service delivery.
The Sarawak Women@Work Programme was a strategic collaboration between the ministry and 12 government bodies, including the Sarawak Women and Family Department (JWKS) and the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC).
A key highlight of the event was a targeted capacity-building course for 70 local women titled “Digital Literacy: Empowering Digital Marketing with AI Tools – ChatGPT & WhatsApp Business Auto Reply,” conducted by SDEC to introduce small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to artificial intelligence in business management.
The programme also hosted a highly successful career fair in partnership with PERKESO. By the final day, 30 local job seekers had walked into physical and hybrid interview sessions, resulting in a perfect 100 per cent success rate with all 30 applications accepted on the spot.
During the ceremony, Razi also presented symbolic KIRWaS financial aid to nine women, marking a total of 20 active beneficiaries across the Betong Division.
