By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 31: Sarawak is mourning the loss of one of its greatest intellectual figures, Datuk Dr Madeline Berma, a towering economist and academician whose voice stood as a shield for marginalised indigenous communities and whose legacy remains a source of pride for the Iban community.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan said the passing of Madeline marked the departure of a rare and profound mind, noting that figures of her calibre take decades to emerge, particularly among the indigenous Iban community.
“She is the pride of our community. I have lost a close relative who hailed from the same ancestral area as mine, Banting in the Sri Aman Division,” he said in a statement today, responding to her untimely demise at her residence in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor on Tuesday (Dec 30).
Snowdan described Madeline as a courageous and consistent advocate for critical issues affecting indigenous peoples, particularly rural poverty and Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.
“Through her hands-on leadership at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), she became a ‘shield’ for marginalised indigenous communities, standing firm on issues that mattered most to them,” he said.
He added that her extensive empirical work and research had been invaluable to Sarawak, especially in shaping policies and strategies to address long-standing social and economic challenges.
“It was also for this reason that she was appointed to the Sarawak Economic Action Council (SEAC), where she contributed meaningfully to shaping the Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP),” Snowdan said.
Today, he said, Sarawak grieves the loss of a great contributory mind whose impact extended far beyond academia.
“Her contributions are immense, and her legacy will continue to prevail. Our sincere condolences and prayers are with her family and loved ones during this difficult time,” he added.
Madeline passed away on Tuesday morning (Dec 30) at the age of 64. Born in 1961, she was widely respected for her distinguished academic career at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where she held various senior positions.
A development studies expert, her research focused on rural development, indigenous economic development and women’s empowerment. She was also involved in numerous policy-impact studies on poverty in Sarawak and major urban centres, women-related policies in Johor, as well as Dayak education and socialisation.
In recognition of her contributions, she received several honours, including the Pingat Ahli Bintang Kenyalang (ABK), the Sarawak Women in Education Special Award and the Tokoh Wanita Sarawak award. She also served as a consultant to both the federal and Sarawak governments. — DayakDaily
