‘A New Year gift’: YSD-Pibakat collab to boost care for children with special needs in Sarawak

KUCHING (Jan 8): Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) has reinforced its commitment to social development in Sarawak with the official launch of the One-Stop Early Intervention Centre Sarawak (OSEIC), said State Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

The centre, a strategic collaboration with the Sarawak Parents Association for Children with Special Needs (Pibakat), specifically supports children living with autism and developmental delays.

“The collaboration between YSD and Pibakat is very special and serves as our New Year gift, as it is a high-impact initiative that strengthens care, inclusion and the future of children and families in Sarawak,” she said during the YSD–Pibakat collaboration event held at OSEIC, Metrocity here.

Fatimah revealed that her ministry had received RM350,000 in funding under the Sinar and Salam Autism programmes, channelled to OSEIC Sarawak through Pibakat to support its operations.

“This contribution supports the operations of the Sarawak One-Stop Early Intervention Centre and marks an important milestone in strengthening early intervention services for children with special needs in the state,” she said, adding that it enables children with development delays to grow, learn and live more inclusive and meaningful lives.

On behalf of her ministry and the OSEIC Sarawak community, she expressed appreciation to Sime Darby Foundation chairman Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar for the contribution and his inaugural visit to the centre.

“His generosity and visit are significant not only to the management and staff of OSEIC, but also to parents and special children who are at the heart of the centre’s services,” she said.

Fatimah noted that Sarawak currently has two OSEIC centres in Kuching and Dalat, with a branch in Miri scheduled to open by mid-2026.

“From initially serving just 100 children in Kuching, OSEIC Sarawak has grown rapidly.

“As of Dec 31 last year, a total of 745 children had received early intervention services statewide, with 673 in Kuching and the remainder in OSEIC Dalat,” she said.

To address existing challenges, OSEIC Sarawak has collaborated with TOY8, a Japan-based artificial intelligence (AI) healthcare company, since December 2024.

The partnership includes digital screening, transition programmes, online speech therapy services, and the placement of speech therapists at OSEIC since June 2025, aiming to eliminate waiting lists by year-end.

Sarawak is also targeting the establishment of nine additional OSEIC centres in Samarahan, Bintulu, Sri Aman, Lawas, Limbang, Betong, Sibu, Kapit and Serian by 2030.

Tunku Imran said YSD has been a consistent development partner in Sarawak for more than a decade, with collaborations exceeding RM60 million across education, environment, communities and healthcare, arts and culture.

“This latest collaboration further reinforces our commitment to empathy, integrity and social responsibility, in line with the state’s development aspirations,” he said.

He added that the OSEIC programme forms part of YSD’s Sinar initiative funded under the Madani Budget by the Ministry of Finance, addressing teenage pregnancy and autism.

Since its introduction in December 2024, the programme has benefited over 22,000 individuals through 14 initiatives, including the ‘Dawn Hope: A Safe Haven for Girls in Need’ pilot project and the ALAM Autism YSD initiative.

YSD is committed to producing 60 trained teachers and caregivers through Train-the-Trainer sessions, who will be placed at the new OSEIC branch in Miri before expansion to the other nine districts by 2030,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the YSD–Pibakat collaboration will significantly impact the lives of children with autism, their families, and the wider community, fostering a more inclusive and resilient society.

Among those present were Deputy State Secretary (Administration) Datu Felicia Tan Ya Hua, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Nur Alina Abdullah @ Colliner Gohe, and Sime Darby Foundation Board of Trustees member Datu Dr Rashidah Bolhassan.

Also in attendance were YSD chief executive officer Dr Yatela Zainal Abidin, OSEIC Sarawak Management Committee chairman and PIBAKAT president Zaidi Ahmad, Sarawak Social Welfare Department director Semawi Mohamad, and OSEIC Sarawak general manager Saadiah Abdul Samat.