BINTULU: A new coalition known as the Bintulu Women Action Team (BWAT) has been formed to establish a handicraft centre here, taking inspiration from the successful Miri Handicraft Centre.
Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah announced that the proposed Bintulu Handicraft Centre is envisioned to become a focal point for the exhibition and sale of local handicrafts and food products crafted by local residents.
“The ministry will provide guidance on the establishment of the centre, and in two months, we plan to reconvene and present the proposal to the Bintulu Development Board (BDB),” Fatimah told reporters after the meeting with representatives from 24 Bintulu women’s non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at a hotel here today.
The coalition comprises Bintulu Elderly Service Association, Bintulu Chinese Women’s Association, Single Mother Vision Cooperative, Sarawak Indu Dayak Serakup (SIDS) Bintulu, and various other women’s groups and political parties.
She highlighted the BWAT’s advantage, noting that several member NGOs have already been supplying their crafts to the Malaysian Craft Council, indicating a solid product foundation. The current objective is to organise these efforts to ensure the sustainability of the centre.
Also present were Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department, Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, and Lingga assemblyman, Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor.
