HAILING from a remote longhouse in Betong, Tan Sri Datuk Sri Empiang Jabu overcame nearly incredible odds to carve her place in history with her enormous number of “firsts”.
Married to former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Alfred Jabu Numpang, she has made significant contributions to Sarawak’s countless political developments.
For all of her achievements and contributions, she became the first Dayak Iban woman to be awarded the honorific “Tan Sri” by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Who said women can’t get involved in politics?
She told New Sarawak Tribune that many have misconceptions that one has to be an elected representative to venture into politics.
“There are plenty of roles that one, especially a woman, can play. Looking at our state legislative assembly (DUN) and parliamentary seats, we have women who are breaking the glass ceiling,” she said.
Shared vision for the better future
Her story goes way back to 1974 when she was involved in her husband’s first election when Jabu stood for the by-election in Skrang-Engkilili state constituency.
“At that time, I was very ignorant about politics. In fact, it took chief minister Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub several times to talk to me before I agreed to let my husband join politics.
“In December 1973, he sent a jet from Kuching to fetch me to have breakfast at Rumah Sarawak to explain to me why he wanted my husband to be in politics,” she said.
As Empiang and Jabu came from the same background, they shared the same vision of wanting to improve the lives of the rural people.
As a matter of fact, Empiang said Abdul Rahman was confident that Jabu would be able to help him deliver the seat under PBB.
“What else can I say? We wanted to help our people to prosper and develop. Abdul Rahman also had the same view.
“Please make sure that my husband works, delivers and don’t spoil him — that was my word to Abdul Rahman,” she said.
Jabu contested and won unopposed in the Skrang-Engkilili seat and in the 1974 state elections, he defeated former chief minister Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan in Layar.
Political journey
Empiang recalled that her husband had told her back then that he wanted to stand in Layar in the state polls because he wanted to see his own hometown and constituency be developed.
“I was wondering how he was going to fight the political giant, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan, who was really strong in Betong. Since I shared Jabu’s visions, I told him that we have to work very hard.
“I came from Saban (Paku river) while he was from Layar. I went campaigning for him and convinced my relatives in Paku why we needed to have a change in leadership.
“He won that election, and that’s how I started getting involved in politics,” she said.
Empiang was a teacher before progressing into politics.
She is the first Dayak Iban woman to receive a degree in the field of education, receiving her bachelor’s degree from Victoria University, New Zealand in 1967.
A year later, she obtained a diploma in teaching from Epsom Teacher’s College.
“I was still teaching when I was asked to take over the role of deputy chief of the women’s wing of PBB.
“The late Datin Amar Margaret Linggi who was the deputy chief of the women’s wing at that time had led members of the PBB Women’s Supreme Council (Pesaka side) to meet me.
“I told them that it was impossible for me to hold such a position because I was still working. Moreover, I was overwhelmed by family obligations as my children were still young and I didn’t have many helpers,” she said.
Empiang’s political career eventually began in 1984. when she was appointed PBB Women chief for Layar division.
The following year, she was appointed PBB assistant secretary-general and the party’s Women deputy chief.
Teacher at hear
When she joined PBB, Empiang said she was not looking so much at politics per say but more into how to organise the women’s wing on Pesaka side as they were less organised compared to the Bumiputera side.
Empiang firmly said the way she spoke and delivered her messages was very much like a teacher because she was still very much a teacher at heart.
“I was not a politician, I was a teacher. I managed to open up women’s wings in other branches and guided the men like a teacher.
“I would instruct them on the number of committee members they should have, who should lead the team, how to take down minutes, how to do cash flow for the party expenses and so on,” she said.
As more branches were formed, Empiang recognised and picked some women who had the potential to lead.
She nurtured them into good leaders.
Apart from that, she already demonstrated how one could contribute to the people while at the same time be an effective contributor to one’s own family.
“We would have workshops where I got to talk to them (members of PBB Women).
“I told them that their role was not just in the kitchen. They had a very big role in their family. You are the wife who looks after the husband, you are the mother who looks after the children.
“You are the member of the community, so you look after the community. And you are the citizen of the country where we all have a part to play,” she said.
Empiang noted more women dared to speak up during their longhouse meetings.
Some, she said, even become tuai rumah, counsellors at the district council and even village chiefs.
Education a powerful weapon
To Empiang, education is the most important thing that can empower women.
She proudly called her late father a visionary man despite growing up in rural longhouse with no education background.
She emphasised that education was her approach to rural women.
“I often told the women to send their children to school.
“My late father was a bit more visionary than most men during his time who allowed his daughter to go to school.
“During those days, most girls were not allowed to go to school but he allowed me and made sure I would have enough (pocket) money.
“If I had not received any education, there was nowhere I would be where I am now,” she said.
Over the years, she said there were very few women who were in the role of decision-making.
But now, with education, qualifications as well as experience either in business or politics, she noted that there were more women in decision-making roles.
Women, somehow are closer to the grassroots, very much closer to the people. Get involved in the party. Give them ideas. If you have ideas, say it out.
“Form it into a bigger idea. Tell your party leader that you have something to do.
“There are so many ways you can serve the party without being an elected representative,” she said.
Uniting women into one sect
Empiang was also the longest-serving chairman of Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS).
She served Dayak women in a way that most of women in PBB could contribute to party policies.
She pointed out that the formation of PBB had brought together and united different ethnic groups.
“PBB was formed with Bumiputera and the Pesaka party. For the Pesaka wing where I’m more familiar with, we have so many different ethnic groups.
“We have the Iban, Bidayuh, Kenyah, Lun Bawang, Penan and so on.
“I believe, during my time this is what I’ve been wanting to do — to bring in all these various ethnic groups into PBB,” she noted.
PBB, she said, was much more stronger with all ethnic groups in the state united under the same party.
Unity is important and inclusivity is one of the factors that really bind the party together.
“When I was still with the PBB, I tried to bring in new members, at least in the Women’s Supreme Council.
“We have the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah etc in our women’s wing.
“If they cannot be represented, then we include them in various other committee and subcommittees. This is to make sure that nobody is left out,” she said.
She noted that when there was inclusiveness, the members would feel that they belonged to the party.
