KUCHING: The state government through the Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry is collaborating with Unimas Holdings Sdn Bhd to conduct case studies on issues pertaining to social development and urbanisation in Sarawak.
Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the strategic collaboration for the two social case studies would provide evidence-based inputs for formulation of policies, development programmes and social interventions for the targeted groups.
She said this during a memorandum of agreement (MoA) signing ceremony between the state government represented by her ministry and Unimas Holdings Sdn Bhd at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
“The two social case studies namely Drug Use Among Secondary School Students in Sarawak and A Comprehensive Study on the Causative Factors Leading to Stateless Children in Sarawak is hoped to be able to provide evidence-based inputs.
“I am confident that we will be able to identify the profiles and trends, causes and effects as well as strategies for addressing the problems faced by the target groups.
“One of our ministry’s crucial roles is to achieve a balanced development in which economic and physical progress takes place side by side with the societal wellbeing of the community,” she said.
Fatimah also expressed her enthusiasm on the continuous strategic collaboration and partnership with Unimas Holdings for inputs on community wellbeing in Sarawak.
“The ministry looks forward to the findings of the two case studies as the contribution is vital in formulating effective development policies, designing of impactful and targeted programmes as well as intervention to enhance the community wellbeing,” she said.
She pointed out that among the issues related to social development and urbanisation that were being given greater attention included drug and substance abuse, property crime, mental health, teenage pregnancy, sexual crimes against children and women, domestic violence, marriage and divorce, homelessness, sexually transmitted diseases and poverty.
Also present during the MoA signing ceremony were Unimas Holdings interim chairman Datuk Mohd Fadzil Abdul Rahman, Unimas vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi and the ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Rashidah Bolhassan.
