SIBU: Leadership does not begin when a person takes office — it starts when young people are given the opportunity to speak, participate and take responsibility.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian described the Sibu Children’s Council as an important platform for nurturing the state’s future leaders by exposing children to governance, civic responsibility and community issues from an early age.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, said children involved in the council were being given more than just a platform to voice their views.
He said the initiative trained them to work with others, understand issues affecting their peers and learn how local government functions.
“Leaders are not born that way. They need to be trained and given opportunities,” he said when officiating the swearing-in ceremony of the second term of the Sibu Children’s Council (SCC) at the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) Library here on Saturday (Sept 19).
Dr Sim stressed that the 22 newly appointed councillors must look beyond their own interests and recognise the wider responsibility that came with representing the children of Sibu.
“When you are here as members of the Children’s Council, you are not only representing yourselves. You represent all the other children,” he said.
He said the initiative formed part of Sarawak’s broader efforts to build an informed and responsible generation by allowing children to gain an early understanding of the roles played by the government and local authorities.
Dr Sim also described the council as a two-way learning process, saying adults and young people could learn from one another while working towards the development of Sarawak.
“This is a learning process. I learn from you and you learn from me. We learn together for Sarawak,” he said.
The Deputy Premier said Sarawak’s commitment to child-friendly initiatives was also reflected in its adoption of international benchmarks, noting that seven of Malaysia’s 11 Child-Friendly City Initiatives were located in Sarawak.
The approach, he added, was no longer confined to urban centres, with Mukah and Dalat set to implement Child-Friendly Community Initiatives.
Meanwhile, SMC chairman Clarence Ting Ing Horh said the second-term council placed greater emphasis on inclusivity, with three children with special needs appointed as members.
He said their participation reinforced the principle that every child had the right to be heard, participate in community life and contribute to society.
A total of 22 members took their oath of office during the ceremony, marking the beginning of the council’s second term.
Also in attendance were Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Michael Tiang and Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman, Wong Ching Yong.
