BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Members of Brunei Darussalam’s Legislative Council (LegCo) participated in the Coordinating Committee Meeting of Women Parliamentarians of Aipa (Waipa), held from April 22 to 24, 2025, in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Representing Brunei at the regional meeting were Dayang Safiah Sheikh Abdul Salam and Dayang Chong Chin Yee, both Members of the LegCo.
Organised by the House of Representatives of Malaysia, the meeting carried the theme “Steering Innovation, Inclusivity and Diversity Through Gender-Balanced Parliaments for a Future-Ready Asean”.
It served as a preparatory session in support of the Waipa Committee Meeting scheduled to be held during the 46th Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (Aipa) General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur this coming September.
The meeting was officiated by the Premier of Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg. Also in attendance was the President of Aipa and Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives, Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul.
In her speech, Safiah underscored the importance of inclusive leadership in shaping a more resilient and future-ready Asean.
She emphasised that full participation of women is a strategic necessity to drive innovation, inclusivity and sustainable progress.
She also shared Brunei Darussalam’s achievements in advancing gender equality, noting that women now comprise 56 per cent of the national workforce, with 65 per cent of them holding leadership and senior management positions.
These advancements, she highlighted, are the result of equal access to quality education and continuous opportunities for women.
The Members of the Legislative Council also took part in a dialogue session titled “Championing Collaborative Efforts on Women’s Political Participation and Leadership”, which featured discussions among Aipa member country representatives, officials from the Sarawak State Government, and representatives from UN Women. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
