KUCHING: Malaysia will host the 46th Women Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (WAIPA) this year, with its first-ever meeting in Sarawak scheduled for April.
Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Alice Lau paid a courtesy visit to Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, today (Feb 28) at her office in Baitulmakmur 2, to update her on the upcoming WAIPA assembly.
“This is the first time we are organising the meeting in Sarawak because we are trying to promote more places in Malaysia instead of just Kuala Lumpur. This year will be the 46th WAIPA Assembly,” Lau stated.
The assembly serves as a platform for discussions on issues affecting women in the region.
“Apart from the serious business of WAIPA, that is the meetings and so on, there are other things that we could also offer. We have been given, as part of the organising committee, the responsibility for a programme. That is a community programme,” Fatimah said.
She further elaborated that in line with the theme of inclusivity, delegates will visit the One Stop Early Intervention Centre as well as the Borneo Cultural Museum.
“A programme with the community will also be organised. We will be inviting young leaders from the two local councils, MBKS and Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara. These councils, together with other councils, have set up a children’s council,” she added.
Fatimah emphasised the importance of exposing young leaders to the workings of parliamentarians, especially at the Asean level.
“That exposure is important for us. We are working very hard to increase the number of participation or the percentage of our women leaders,” she stated.

