BY SITI NURAIN RATANI
KUCHING: There is a need to establish more Senior Citizen Activity Centres (PAWE) in Sarawak at the district level.
Assistant Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development II (Community Wellbeing Development) Mohamad Razi Sitam said a proposal to establish more PAWE centres would be submitted to the ministry.
He said that it was one of the wishes of PAWE’s representatives.
Razi revealed this when officiating at the Senior Citizens Empowerment Action Plan Sarawak workshop held at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre yesterday.
“Currently, 13 PAWE centres have been created in every parliamentary constituency in Sarawak.
Razi explained that the PAWE centres in each parliamentary constituency sometimes faced logistics challenges.
“We know the area for one parliamentary constituency is very large and some parliamentary constituencies sometimes have two to three districts.
“If we reduce the scope of PAWE to the district level, it will perform better even if it cannot solve 100 per cent the needs of senior citizens,” he said.
The Saribas assemblyman pointed out one of the main goals of the workshop was to discuss six action plans for the development of senior citizens in Sarawak.
Twenty-two agencies and departments were involved in the workshop including JKMS, Resident’s Office, Sarawak Education Department, Community Development Department (Kemas) and PAWE.
“From these 22 agencies, 216 ideas have been brought up and they will be brought to the ministry for consideration,” he said.
Also present were Ministry of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development permanent secretary Dr Rashidah Bolhassan, JKMS director Noriah Ahmad, JKMS deputy director Mohamad Ali Taib and workshop facilitator Mohd Ariff Adzohari.
