MIRI: A senior Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) leader has urged women members to strengthen grassroots engagement and leadership as the state prepares for a possible election this year.
Chairman of the SUPP Piasau parliamentary liaison committee, Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said women within the party had long played a crucial role in community outreach and political mobilisation.
Speaking at a charity workshop held in conjunction with International Women’s Day in Miri today (March 8), Lee said the women’s wing remained one of the party’s most reliable grassroots networks.
“Very often, when the party is able to reach out to communities and understand the concerns of the people, it is because of the efforts of the women’s wing,” he said.
The event, titled ‘What I Hear, What I See, What I Think’, was organised by the women’s wing of SUPP Piasau parliamentary liaison committee and co-hosted by the Lambir and Pujut branch women’s groups.
Participants from several party branches attended the programme, which focused on community service, charity initiatives and women’s leadership development.
Lee said the role of women in society had expanded significantly in recent decades, with women increasingly contributing to sectors ranging from education and healthcare to business and technology.
Their participation, he said, helped create more balanced policies and ensured public decisions reflected the needs of communities.
At the international level, Lee noted that the United Nations had long encouraged greater female participation in political leadership and public decision-making.
Research had shown that women leaders often brought broader perspectives on issues such as social welfare, education and community development, he said.
Lee also stressed the need for women in politics to continuously upgrade their skills in order to remain effective in a rapidly changing environment.
He highlighted three areas he believed were essential for women leaders today: continuous learning, leadership development and a strong commitment to community service.
“Society is changing rapidly. Without continuous learning, it is difficult to keep up,” he said.
Women, he added, should not only participate in organisations but also step forward as leaders capable of mobilising teams and driving community initiatives.
Lee also said women were well placed to lead social and charitable programmes because of their close connection with families and community life.
His remarks come as political parties in Sarawak begin positioning themselves ahead of the next state election, which must be held by early 2027 but could take place earlier.
Lee said preparations for the polls should begin immediately, stressing that election campaigns depended on the strength of the party’s grassroots machinery.
“An election is never a battle fought by a candidate alone. It is a team effort,” he said.
He called on women’s branches within the party to strengthen internal unity, deepen grassroots engagement and mentor younger women members who could take on leadership roles in the future.
“A strong women’s wing means a strong organisation, and a strong organisation means a stronger party,” he said.
Lee said he hoped the women’s wing would continue playing a key role in connecting the party with local communities as the political landscape in Sarawak evolves.
The workshop concluded with activities aimed at strengthening networking among members and promoting charitable initiatives in conjunction with International Women’s Day.
Also present was SUPP Pujut assemblyman, Adam Yii Siew Sang.
