DALAT: Dalat Senior Citizens' Activity Centre (PAWE) continues to receive encouraging response from the community when the total number of registered members reached 1,120 as of July 2025.

Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said, of the total, 505 people were men, while 615 were women.

“The establishment of PAWE is a proactive step in strengthening the well-being of the elderly in the Dalat district, which acts as a structured platform for the elderly to carry out daily activities in the local community.

“In addition, it provides services in the form of social assistance that support the emotional, mental and social well-being of the group,” she said when speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the PAWE Dalat Bi-Annual General Meeting 2025-2027, at the Dalat Welfare Complex on Thursday.

The Dalat Assemblywoman also called for the facilities provided at PAWE to be used optimally so that each member can fully benefit from the centre.

Dato Sri Fatimah also stressed the importance of cooperation among PAWE members to foster kinship, strengthen friendships and form a community that supports each other.

Meanwhile, according to her, apart from the establishment of PAWE, the Sarawak Government has also implemented various other incentives to improve the well-being of the elderly.

She explained that among the initiatives provided include Bantuan Warga Emas (BWE), care facilities at Rumah Seri Kenangan (RSK) in Kuching and Sibu, Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC), Bantuan Ihsan Kematian (BIK) and Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB) which provide health benefits to the elderly.

In this regard, she also stressed the importance of the elderly being regularly physically active through the appropriate light exercise activities.

Also present at the event were Dalat District Social Welfare Officer, Jacquiline Ebby Ramli, Dalat PAWE Chairman, Moses Dominic Atong, Sarawak General Hospital Dementia Specialist, Dr. Shakilone Tharmaseelan and Dalat Branch Deputy Head, Sait Seman. -UKASnews