Companies in Sarawak to Embrace Gender Equality and Support Working Mothers
In a panel discussion held in conjunction with Women’s Day 2024, industry leaders and academics came together to exchange ideas on empowering women in the workforce. The forum, moderated by Professor Ida Fatimahwati bt Adi Badiozaman from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, with invited panellists Yuki Nakamura, General Manager of Pertama Ferroalloys and Yang Berusaha Puan Hajah Siti Aisah Adenan, Senior Vice President for Corporate Services of Sarawak Energy Berhad.
Yuki Nakamura, with over 25 years of experience in managerial roles in the banking and mining sectors and a national badminton player for Japan, emphasized the crucial role men play in encouraging gender equality in the industry. He drew parallels between the current situation in Sarawak and Japan 60 to 70 years ago, highlighting the historical preference for male employment and the traditional role of women as homemakers.
Nakamura shared how Japan has since transformed to offer more opportunities for women and implemented policies to support their well-being, such as childcare services. He expressed his intention to apply these lessons learned from Japan to Pertama Ferroalloys, aiming to set a precedent for other companies in Sarawak.
YB Dato Sri Hajah Fatimah Abdullah, selected Pertama Ferroalloys as one of the companies for discussion as she was impressed of Pertama Ferroalloys’ initiatives for women within the company and in Bintulu. She underscored a statement by Nakamura, of the importance of both genders working towards change, with men acting as allies in the empowerment of women. Fatimah also addressed the issue of work-related separations between spouses and advocated for the establishment of childcare centers within workplaces to support working parents.
The forum served as a platform for knowledge sharing and emphasized the need for mutual support in creating a more inclusive and equitable work environment. The panelists’ insights highlighted the progress that can be made when both men and women collaborate to break down gender barriers in the corporate world.
