KOTA KINABALU, Feb 17 — The Sabah government has allocated RM3.43 million to support Akademi Kepimpinan Wanita (AKWan) under the Sabah Women’s Advisory Council (MPWS) in its efforts to empower women’s leadership in the state.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the allocation would assist AKWan in implementing training programmes to enhance the quality of women’s leadership in Sabah.

He stated that this initiative, which is also a special project of MPWS, aims to promote gender equality and develop the potential of women in the state.

“I am informed that the participants targeted by AKWan consist of political leaders, grassroots youth, as well as those involved in government-related companies (GLCs).

“I am confident that AKWan graduates will be able to shoulder the responsibilities as leaders in the future,” he said in his speech for AKWAN’s Women’s Leadership Course Graduation Ceremony here today.

The text of his speech was read out by Sabah Minister of Community Development and People’s Well-being, Datuk James Ratib.

Hajiji said the state government appreciates the efforts of the Sabah Women’s Affairs Department (JHEWA) and MPWS in empowering women in Sabah.

He stated that the Ministry of Community Development and People’s Well-being (KPMKR), through JHEWA, has allocated RM4.2 million for the implementation of the Single Mothers and B40 Women Skills Programme, Leadership and Gender Equality Programmes, as well as Awareness Programmes, while MPWS received an allocation of RM700,000.

Meanwhile, the chief minister said the state government will continue to strive to achieve the target of 30 percent women’s participation in holding high-level positions and decision-making roles in Sabah.

He noted that as of January this year, women as policy-makers in the state government, for the position of Deputy State Secretary (TSKN), recorded 33.3 per cent, with one woman out of three TSKNs.

He added that the position of Permanent Secretary of state Ministries (SUTK) recorded 30 per cent, with three women out of 10 SUTKs, while 47.61 per cent for Department Heads, with 20 women out of 42 Department Heads. — Bernama