Abang Johari (third right) breaks open a stick of lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo) to launch the festive gathering. Dr Asri is seen at second right. KUCHING: The ‘Cat City’ might see more specialist hospitals following the rising number of medical tourists, said Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg. He said there had been suggestions from outsiders to establish more specialist hospitals, and the state government had been holding negotiations to work out more initiatives. He, however, added he could not reveal more details as the negotiations were on-going. At present, the state capital has four specialist hospitals: Normah Medical Specialist Centre, Timberland Medical Centre, Kuching Specialist Hospital (KPJ) and Borneo Medical ...

Long Busang Health Clinic built on ‘gotong royong’ will be declared open on Malaysia Day KUCHING: The long-awaited Long Busang Health Clinic, the first clinic in the country to be built by the community, is nearing completion and will be launched on Malaysia Day. Construction of the clinic, through the initiative of Belaga assemblyman Liwan Lagang and local longhouse dwellers, started last April 17, and it is now 90 per cent completed . “There’s only the wiring and piping work yet to be done. By end of this month, the whole structure is expected to be fully completed, with electricity and water. “At the end of the month, medical personnel will come to check on the clinic and to identify the necessary medical equipment to be installed at the ...

Adenan making his call for the federal government to grant more autonomy to the state government. KUCHING: The state government is requesting the federal government to grant it more autonomy to enable a smoother decision making process regarding matters of the state. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said negotiation on the devolution of power was in progress to allow the state government to make decisions especially in areas where the state is more familiar with. Speaking at the Barisan Nasional (BN) Leaders with People Session with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at Stadium Perpaduan here yesterday, Adenan pointed out that reinstating the state’s autonomy would ensure a more meaningful devolution of power. “This is what we ...

KUCHING: Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) welcomes volunteers from all backgrounds to help run it at the Sarawak Cultural Village from Aug 7 to 9. Those interested may obtain volunteer’s application form at www.rwmf.net and successful applicants will be notified by email or telephone. Closing date to return the form is June 12, 2015. Being a volunteer, according to its press release yesterday, is a great way to gain new skills, meet people, and help it become a world class festival. Volunteering is one of the best ways to contribute to the festival while enjoying the music! Volunteers will carry out a variety of tasks that requires physical, technical and interpersonal skills. Each volunteer will be given a volunteer pass and festival access, two volunteer ...

Manyin (second left) flanked by JKR senior officers at the press conference. KUCHING: The repair of the collapsed section of Jalan Puncak Borneo will be brought to the cabinet meeting on May 28 for waiver of tender in view of the urgency of the project. Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications Dato Sri Michael Manyin acknowledged that since the road was a vital link for the people in Upper Padawan, it would not go for an open tender the process of which would take at least 18 months before the project could even start. He thus hoped the opposition would not question the Corporate Integrity Pledge (CIP) signed by the government, if the project done at a cost of around RM10 million were to be implemented under waiver of tender. “The collapsed road ...

KUCHING: The Tebedu Inland Port is poised to become an international port with various initiatives being undertaken by the government. Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications Dato Sri Michael Manyin said he himself had met with Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and two ministers in Jakarta pertaining to the matter. The facility comes under the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Communication. “We (government) want the port to be of international standard and for that reason I have met with the authorities in Malaysia and Pontianak (Indonesia) to discuss the matter,” Manyin told reporters yesterday, adding that they wanted it done as soon as possible. He earlier presented Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) at the Tebedu community ...

KUCHING: People in the rural areas can now expect better treatment from the government, particularly in terms of getting infrastructure development. This is to reciprocate them for being always loyal to the Barisan Nasional (BN) government especially during elections. This assurance came from Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who acknowledged that despite their loyalty and strong support the rural people had been neglected for decades. “I want to change that because if we look at past election results the support for BN mostly came from rural people…we lost in all urban seats. So we have to reciprocate the rural population for their solid support because that is the rule of life,” he said. While it could not be denied that there had ...

Fatimah (left) speaking at the press conference while Rodziah looks on. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung KUCHING: The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development has allocated RM50 million for the state’s Housing Assistance Programme (PBR) this year. Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the grant will benefit more than 2,000 recipients throughout the state who will receive the funds to either construct a new house or to repair the present ones. “Around 450 recipients will receive the grant to construct a new house whereas 1,856 recipients will be able to repair their house when they receive the funds,” she told a press conference after chairing the Sarawak Poverty Eradication Focus Group meeting at Wisma Bapa Malaysia ...

KUCHING: The 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) must remain private sector driven in line with the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). In making the call, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said the private sector, comprising big and small business enterprises, has to work closely with the state government to achieve the development agenda, which ultimately will benefit the people, state and country. “Sarawak like the rest of the nation enters a very challenging phase of the development in the economic transformation towards attaining the goal of high income economy, which is no longer an exercise to restructure the traditional economic sectors such as timber and agro-based industries into manufacturing only. “Therefore, efforts must be intensified ...

KUCHING: A Disaster Unit will be established immediately under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in response to severe floods hitting the country recently. Its minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the unit’s main task would be to supplement the existing standard operating procedure (SOP) of other agencies during disasters. She also disclosed that it would conduct simulations to better prepare the personnel in providing disaster aid and relief. “Following unusual floods, particularly in the East Coast (of Peninsular Malaysia), and those happening in Sabah and Sarawak, we acknowledge the difficulties in handling such disasters because the existing SOP is mainly for normal incidents. “Therefore, we believe that there is a need ...