Women are pillars of a Madani nation, says PM

KOTA KINABALU, June 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said women are indispensable to Malaysia’s development as a Madani nation, urging them to anchor the country’s progress in values, character and faith.

“Without the contribution of women, there is no Madani nation that we hope for, one that is fresh and flourishing,” he said at the State-level Melangkah Bersama Madani: Wanita Beriman, Wanita Bertahan Programme at the Sabah International Convention Centre, yesterday.

Anwar said national development built on technology, industry and artificial intelligence must first be grounded in individual values, character and spirit, with the home remaining the foundation of children’s education.

“Development must be filled with soul and spirit. This is Madani,” he said.

He said women play an important role not only in the family institution but also in the broader struggles of community, politics, economy and nationhood and that no Madani nation could be built without their contribution.

Anwar cited his own experience to drive home the weight women carry, recounting that his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail raised their children largely alone during his more than 10 years of imprisonment.

He urged the audience, comprising mostly women, not to complain excessively but to face hardships with patience and wisdom.

“The trials we face do not compare with what others have endured. We must strengthen our faith, strengthen our resolve and maintain our discipline,” he said.

Anwar also praised Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs, Senator Marhamah Rosli, who organised the event, saying he appointed her based solely on her track record in service and community work without having met her beforehand.

“I only looked at her record of work and service, so I said: Help build the Madani nation,” he said, adding that she represented the kind of principled, grounded contribution the Madani government needed.

The programme drew thousands of women from across Sabah, with participants travelling from as far as Tawau and Labuan by bus and ferry.

Marhamah said the presence of Federal and State leaders at the event reflected the close cooperation between the Federal and Sabah governments in advancing the welfare of women, families and communities.

“We (women) want to be included. We want our participation,” she said.

Additionally, she announced two religious affairs initiatives targeting Sabah communities.

The first is the Rakan Sulh Komuniti programme, which would train village heads, imams and community leaders as mediators to help resolve Syariah court disputes at the grassroots level, reducing emotional strain on families and preserving household harmony.

The second is a proposal for a Mobile Court to bring Syariah court services to remote interior and island communities across the State, alongside a call for additional staffing to be considered.

“As a Sabahan, I understand the challenges faced by people in the interior and on the islands. Access to justice can sometimes be difficult,” she said.

Marhamah also reminded women against seeking out so-called divorce coaches, urging those facing marriage difficulties to approach authorised parties such as sulh officers, family counsellors and Syariah court institutions instead.

She said the warning followed a viral response she gave in the Dewan Rakyat on the issue.

She also announced that Malaysia had again received the Labbaitum Award from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for excellence in hajj management, the best in the world.

The programme at hand was held in collaboration with Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia and the Sabah state religious departments.

Marhamah said the programme would next be brought to Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and other states.

Also present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Datuk Mustapha Sakmud and State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, who is also State Exco for Islamic Affairs, among others. — Daily Express