Dr Hii Sui Cheng SIBU: Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s recent announcement that several rural air services in Sarawak will be opened to other airlines besides MASwings starting next year augurs well for Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI). Its president Dr Hii Sui Cheng when commenting on Loke’s statement believed that this move will certainly help boost tourism and businesses in general. Loke had said the matter had been discussed with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during a meeting in Kuching on Friday, adding that the Ministry of Transport would study Abang Johari’s request for a flight from Kuching to Jakarta and Australia and also from Sibu to China. On the routes requested, Hii said: “Very good to ...

Dr Sim (centre) officiating at the symposium together with Wee (seventh right), Wong (sixth right) and Ko (fourth left). KUCHING: Culture is the root that holds Sarawakian Chinese together and we must remain united under one roof, said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian here yesterday. Speaking at the opening ceremony of The Chinese Cultural Symposium at Sarawak Club, he said that Sarawak is grateful to the China government for its willingness to foster bilateral relationship. “We are thankful, especially for giving us the opportunity to be part of the One Belt One Road initiative implemented by China,” he said, adding that we need to continue this relationship and expand it to other industries. Dr Sim was representing Deputy ...

Ing Ang (seated right), UCA Sibu division president Ngieng Ping Sing (seated third left), deputy treasurer Yong King Sung (seated left) and others pose for a group photo. SIBU: Sarawak ICT Association and the IT Section of the United Chinese Association (UCA) Sibu Division will host the Sarawak E-Commerce Conference 2018 on Nov 8 to create a heightened awareness of the importance of e-commerce. Organising chairman Wong Ing Ang said the event, to be held at Wisma UCA here will be the first e-commerce conference in Sibu. He added that they are targeting some 300 participants with students from institutions of higher learning among their target groups. “One of our target groups is students from institutions of higher learning in e-commerce subject such as University ...

Jack (ninth right), Chin (seventh right) and members of the organising committee hold up posters of the festival following their meeting yesterday. BINTULU: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to officiate at the opening ceremony of Bintulu Tanglung Carnival 2018. Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat said the festival will run from Sept 13-17 at Naim Paragon street mall. “The chief minister will be accompanied by his wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang and others for the official opening on Sept 15. “He will officiate at the flag-off of the Sarawak Maju Run 2018 at 8pm followed by the launching of Naim Malaysia and Borneo Highpole Lion Dance Championship 2018,” he told the media after chairing the coordination ...

(Front row from night left): Yu, Pottas, Lee, Beena, Wong (sixth right) in a photo call with participants of Health and Safety Week and members of VAD 57 Curtin Malaysia. MIRI: Volunteerism is a very important part of social development which can move society towards a common goal. Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin singled out blood donation campaigns in Miri as an example of effective volunteerism. “In the 70s patients who needed blood transfusion had to buy blood. Voluntary blood donors were scarce as it was taboo especially for the Chinese. “There was a case of a sick Chinese father who asked his children to buy blood for transfusion when his children could have donated,” said Lee yesterday when officiating at the Health ...

(From third left) Swee Nguong, Hieng Wuong, Vincent, Tiong and others at the dinner marking the 51st anniversary of SM Wong Nai Siong. SIBU: The Sarawak government is supportive of Chinese education as evidenced by the increasing amount of financial allocations to Chinese schools, said SM Wong Nai Siong board of management chairman Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau. “The late chief minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem provided a grant of RM3 million in 2014, and the amount has been increased to RM7 million by his successor Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari (Tun Openg). “The allocation is for the 14 Chinese independent schools in the state,” he disclosed. He added that the Sarawak government now recognises the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC). Lau was speaking ...

Lee (left) promotes local durians to the Brunei entourage. MIRI: Local tourism operators should enhance existing cooperation with their Brunei counterparts, especially in areas that are of mutual benefit to both parties. Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin said with the neighbouring kingdom having direct flights from China, efforts should be made to have these Brunei-bound tourists visit Miri. “Brunei has got a number of direct flights from China. Thus, local tourism operators should take advantage by promoting attractive packages and working with their counterparts in Brunei, to lure tourists coming into Brunei to visit the city,” he told the press at Kai Nguong Nursery Miri in Riam yesterday. Lee was at the nursery to meet ...

Abang Johari (third right) with recipients of the Sarawak government grant – Hii (fourth right) and his SCCCI committee members and Tiong (left) – after the cheque presentation at the new State Legislative Assembly building in Kuching. KUCHING: SJK (C) Kiew Nang, Sibu and Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) yesterday received a grant of RM1 million each from the Sarawak government. The allocations to both bodies were announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during his official functions in Sibu in early May. The allocations are for building a new academic block for SJK (C) Kiew Nang and Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s innovation hub. The four-storey new building for SJK (C) Kiew Nang, which ...

Datuk Lee Kim Shin SIBU: The request for Sibu-Kota Kinabalu (KK) sector to be served by a jetliner has been previously taken up to the federal Ministry of Transport and low-cost airline AirAsia. In stating this yesterday, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin said his office had contacted AirAsia on Monday to follow up on the matter. “AirAsia has replied that the Sibu-KK route is still pending approval from Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCom),” Lee told The Borneo Post. For the record, AirAsia discontinued the route in August 2009 after operating for four months, as MASwings had been given exclusive rights by the government to service the rural air sector. Recently, Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) ...

Nanta (front, fifth right) hands over the cheque to Kong. Also seen are (front row, from sixth left) Lim, Sia, Tapah, Jacklyn and Tan. KAPIT: The management of SJKC Hin Hua, the only Chinese-aided primary school in Song District, can now proceed with the repair and upgrading works on the block – thanks to the RM100,000 allocation from the Sarawak government. Kapit MP Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi handed the fund to SJKC Hin Huaboard chairman Kong Chen Ming during a recent ceremony at the school, witnessed by the headmistress, Lee Siew Chingand other teachers. It is learnt that the RM100,000 was announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during his visit to Kapit last year. SJKC Hin Hua currently has 198 pupils under the charge of 23 teachers. Political ...