By Alice Jawan

The General Conference of Methodist Women Malaysia 10th Session was held from the 14-16 July 2012 at the Olympic Sports Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. It was attended by 66 Methodist women from all states in Malaysia representing the six (6) Annual Conferences.

In the 10th Session, Ir. Alice Jawan from the Methodist Women of the Sarawak Iban Annual Conference (SIAC) was elected as the President of the General Conference of Methodist Women (GCMW) Malaysia for the next quadranium serving from the year 2013 - 2016. Other elected officers are:-

Vice President - Mdm Wong Hie Ching of the Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference,
Secretary - Ms Ng Su Yin of the Trinity Annual Conference,
Treasurer - Liew Chew Shen of Sabah Provisional Annual Conference,
Coordinators - Mdm Mary John and Lila Chelliah both of the Tamil Annual Conference, and
Margaret Chan of the Chinese Annual Conference,
Counsellors - Datin Judy Lau & Mdm Mary Davadason, 
Chairman of Nomination Committee - Mdm. Diong Siew Ling 

This 10th Session was a historical moment with the election of Ir. Alice as the President; making this the first time in 4 decades, since the formation of the Methodist Women Malaysia, that Methodist Women SIAC representative leads this Christian women organization. Methodist Women SIAC or commonly known as “Bala Indu Methodist” was formed 48 years ago.

In her maiden speech as the President of the GCMW Malaysia, Ir. Alice hoped that:-
a. the Methodist Women collectively will make a Difference to the growth and development of the movement,
b. the new EXCO will strive to create new traditions to reflect and meet current time and needs,
c. to have a new mindset, and to think 1Methodist instead of East & West.

She also indicated that the election of a Methodist Woman from the Sarawak Iban Annual Conference as the President is a historical moment, an honor, and reflects the spiritual, unity, and holiness of the Methodist Women in Malaysia.

[Ir. Alice Jawan is the President of Methodist Women Malaysia.]