KUCHING: Civil society must unite to nurture a resilient, educated and morally grounded generation that will drive Sarawak’s future progress, said Deputy Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister, Datuk Rosey Yunus.
Speaking at the Sarawak Children’s Day 2025 celebration at Plaza Merdeka here today, she stressed that raising and protecting children requires collaboration from all sectors: families, communities, government agencies and private entities.
“In nurturing children, collaboration from all parties is crucial.
“The ministry cannot work in isolation. We must work closely with society to raise excellent and successful children, the future captains of Sarawak,” she said.
Rosey said this year’s theme, ‘Kanak-Kanak Sejahtera, Pemacu Masa Depan’ (Children’s Well-being, Drivers of the Future), aptly reflects the state’s aspiration to produce a generation that is healthy, educated, moral and resilient.
She added that the state government’s ongoing initiatives, including the RM1,000 Endowment Fund Sarawak (EFS), RM450 Maternity Assistance, childcare grants and subsidies, as well as state-run early childhood education centres under SeDidik and the One-Stop Early Intervention Centre (OSEIC), demonstrate its firm commitment to early childhood development.
“Children are our most valuable investment, our assets for an inclusive, prosperous and sustainable Sarawak,” she said, noting that strengthening children’s well-being is a long-term social investment that shapes the quality of the state’s human capital.
Permanent Secretary Datuk Felicia Tan Ya Hua, in her address earlier, echoed similar sentiments, emphasising that building a safe, caring and inclusive environment for children requires the involvement of all stakeholders.
“As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child.
“Every member of society has a role to play in ensuring our children grow up in a nurturing environment,” she said.
Felicia also urged parents to act as role models and instil positive values, especially in the digital age.
She commended the strong public participation in the two-day celebration, which featured children’s exhibitions, family games, STEM workshops, traditional activities and safety demonstrations in collaboration with DBKU’s Car-Free Morning programme.
“This celebration is not just a programme, but a reflection of the state’s commitment to the well-being of every Sarawakian child,” she said.
