Background:

Social Welfare Council of Sarawak (SWCS) is a non- profit organization with 45 various voluntary welfare organizations as its members throughout Sarawak. The Council's role is of a consultative, advisory and co ordination body.

The Birth of the Council -The Work of the Forefathers:

The history of the Council can be traced back to 1948. Before that time, there was no central welfare organization to refer to for advice or assistance. There was no coordination of activities. Missionary bodies, such as the Roman Catholic Mission, the S.P.G. Mission, the Methodist and SDA Mission took care of the foundlings and orphans in their schools and convents until there were of age. These children were given sound religious and moral training, and formal education. As regards to the Malays, the resilience of the Islamic kinship system made it possible to take care of orphans and foundlings in the community itself.

Among other native groups, notably the Dayak longhouse system, the communal responsibly, under a central headship, provided care of the aged, destitute, orphaned and widowed, and individuals incapacitated by illness and misfortune. Hence, they seldom fail to provide foster parents for orphans and support for the needy in their midst. Among the Chinese community, the communal responsibility of looking after the destitute, aged and unfortunate took an organized form, resulting in pauper homes being set up by the community organizations.

The Government operated “Charity votes” through the Secretariats for Chinese and Native Affairs, Resident and District Office for relief of the needy as well as maintaining a home for the aged in Kuching.

As welfare problems grew more pressing, the need for an advisory body to advise Government on welfare policy and practice become apparent. It was thought necessary to establish such a body to coordinate welfare efforts and make recommendations to the Government for the development of social work in Sarawak. On 4th March, 1948, as a result of a meeting held in the Chambers of the Chief Justice, Dr. R.Y.Hedges, His Excellency, the Governor approved the setting up of an Advisory Committee for Social Welfare with the Chief Justice as Chairman, the Secretaries for Chinese and Native Affairs and the Director of Education as members (non ex-officio).

The Committee's function was that “it should be a body to which all projects relating to social welfare put forward by Heads of Departments might be referred for comments” The committee submitted to the Government for consideration of several recommendations such as Indigent Tamils (Relief Gang), Pauper Camp, Benevolent Societies, Juvenile Delinquency, Youth Hostel, Probation Service and others. Most of these recommendations were accepted by the Government.

In August, 1949, a proposal for the formation of a Social Welfare Advisory Council was submitted to His Excellency for consideration. Approval was given on 14th September, 1949. The composition of the Council's membership was the same as the Advisory Committee with nominated members and representatives from various welfare organisations.

The Sarawak Social Welfare Council held its first meeting on 30th January, 1950 in the Board Room of the Sarawak Steamship Company, by courtesy of Mr. A. T. Wedgwood, Manager of the Company, who was also Honorary Treasurer of the Council. The Council continued to meet monthly in the same room until 21st May 1962, when it received the approval of the Municipal Secretary to use the Committee Room of the Kuching Municipal Council for the purpose.

At the meeting, it was decided that the Council should raise funds to finance social welfare projects. Meanwhile discussions were held between the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary and the Representatives of the Council on the formation of the Council's welfare policy. The terms and reference of the Council were also defined as follows:

• Functional Activities

  “That the Council be a centrally constituted welfare body whose objects are to co-ordinate all existing voluntary social welfare activities in Sarawak, to sponsor such welfare projects as it approves of and to initiate new projects though its Standing Committee.

• Fund Raising Committee

  “That it shall appoint a Finance Sub-Committee which should be responsible for the raising of funds and such funds raised shall be allocated as the Council may direct”

The Council lost a founder member upon the retirement of Dr. Robert Yorke Hedges, the Chairman at the end of the year in 1951.

The Advisory Committee, which now included a representative from the Third Division, continued to function as a Working Committee for the Council, In 1952, under the Chairmanship of Dr. J. M. Liston (then Director of Medical and Health Services and later of Mr. R. H Hickling, the Assistant Attorney-General, the Council began to consolidate itself expand its activities in new fields.

With the appointment of Dr. W. Glyn Evans (Director of Medical Services) by H.E. The Governor as the new Chairman in 1953 together with five Appointed Members namely Mr. M.G Dickson, Mr. L. C. Harding, Dr. M. Sockalingam, Madam Barbara Bay and Haji Hossen bin Haji Kawi, the Council entered into a new phase of development.

Regular monthly meetings were held and several important changes took place, initiating new projects and taking on new responsibilities.

A large number of local District Relief committees were set-up in the rural areas. Meanwhile, the Salvation Army Girls Home (Oct. 1950), Salvation Army Boy's Home and Hostel (1949), Sibu Boy's Club& Hostel (1963), Sarawak Youth Council, Sibu Benevolent Society Home (Oct 1945), The Methodist Children's Home, Sibu (Sept 1951), Anti-Tuberculosis Association (April 1951), Prisoners Aid Society, Catholic Welfare Services, Sarawak Red Cross Society, Sarawak Society for the Blind, Prisoner's Aid Society, St. Teresa's Convent Kuching, St. Joseph's Convent Serian, St. Francis Convent Sarikei, Catholic Mission, Mukah, the Benevolent Societies in Sibu, Binatang, Sarikei, Kanowit; and District Relief Committee of Bau, Lundu, Serian, Simunjan, Simanggang Betong, Saratok Lubok Antu. Kapit, Mukah, Matu-Daro, Miri, Bintulu, Baram, Limbang and Lawas all received financial assistance from the Council;

It became apparent that there was a need for a Social Worker to administer and coordinate the various aspects of the Council's activities which were increasing in volume and scope.

In October 1954, Miss I. Aitken-Swan, a trained social welfare worker was recruited by Government from the United Kingdom. She was attached to the Medical Department and her services were made available to the Council and other welfare organizations throughout Sarawak. She retired in 1958 and Miss J. B. Calderwood took over the appointment until 1959.

It was realized that the Council needed a formal constitution. The new Constitution came into force on 1st June 1955 making the Council a Central Body with representation from all welfare organisations in Sarawak.

It provides for four kinds of members:

1. Appointed members consisting of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and not more than four other members who are appointed by His Excellency the Governor.

2. One nominated members representing charitable and socio-religious organisations

   • Anti-Tuberculosis Association of Sarawak

   • Bishop of Kuching

   • Majlis Islam of Sarawak

   • Prisoners' Aid Society of Sarawak

   • Salvation Army

   • Sarawak Red Cross

   • Vicar Apostolic of Kuching

3. Delegated members from district relief committees and benevolent societies having full voting powers.

4. Co-opted member(s) whose presence on the Council is considered an asset. Under this new constitution the Council flourished. In 1956, the Government decided that the Council should take over all welfare work including granting of subventions to such bodies as the Home for the Aged formerly known as Rajah Sri Charles Brooke Pauper Camp (1932) at 12 ½ mile, the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Associations that were formerly financed directly by the Government.

5. The Council continued to be recognized as a central welfare body in Sarawak. Its main functions were to dispense funds received from the Government and other sources to welfare organisations and other welfare bodies at state or district level; and give general policy guidance to the recipient bodies.