KUCHING: Villagers of the rural areas are urged to participate in ‘Community Based Tourism’ by operating Homestay to supplement their income. Deputy Minister of Tourism Datuk James Dawos said that foreign tourists were generally attracted to the green rural surroundings of Sarawak. “Taking this prospect into account, it will give opportunities to the locals to venture into tourism businesses. They can start by becoming tour guides because they are familiar with what products to offer to their guests,” Dawos suggested when met at his office here yesterday. According to Dawos, foreign tourists who are planning to visit Sarawak do not want to go shopping but are eager to see and experience the lifestyle of the rural people. “Foreign tourists come ...

  Chinese tourists delighted with Sarawak Posted on March 29, 2012, Thursday WARM WELCOME: A file photo of welcoming team members dressed in traditional attires greeting travellers in style at the Kuching International Airport. KUCHING: Sarawak seems to be a hot destination for travellers from China lately. This was discovered during a recent incentive trip organised by Perfect World from China, said Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) through a press release yesterday. The streets of Kuching were abuzz with activities as 170 Chinese tourists experienced an unforgettable five-day-four-night ‘business and adventure’ stay here. Their itinerary included a visit to the Sarawak Cultural Village, Bako National Park, and a cat-themed party at the Borneo ...

BINTULU: Continual support from the federal government, including the allocation of RM500 million for the construction of a second port, will propel Samalaju Industrial Park here into a highly-developed and competitive economic hub in the country soon. Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud described Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s nod for the RM500 million allocations as a “big boost” for development around the area and in ensuring that the industrial park moved in the right direction. “With the kind of support given (by the federal government), Bintulu will continue to attract investments, especially those related to the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE),” he said during a dinner reception on Friday for Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin ...

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud said by 2030, Sarawak will become the richest state in the whole of Malaysia. He believed that this could be achieved because the state had better leaders coming up in future. “There are a lot of promising young men coming up.Also from the Chinese community, I see that there are quite a lot of promising and talented young men.If only you can help them so that they can come up and take up the challenges to build our country together,” said Taib when speaking at the Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations’ 2012 Chinese New Year Gathering and 33rd anniversary dinner at Thian Court, Crown Square here last night. “You must think of this.Give a chance to all the clever guys ...

KUCHING: More than 40,000 people are expected at the Chinese New Year (CNY) Open House 2012 to be organised by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) at Padungan here this Saturday. MBKS Mayor James Chan Khay Syn said this year’s MBKS Chinese New Year Open House, themed “My City, My Home”, would be graced by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud and his wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib. This would be the third year MBKS was organising the Chinese New Year Open House for the city folk, and the event would be held at the MBKS compound, starting at 9.00am, this Saturday, two prior to ‘Chap Goh Mei’, Chan told a press conference yesterday. He also disclosed that over 70 corporate bodies and associations, including some Malay organisations, would ...

FRUITFUL MEETING: Sajeli (seated, fourth right) poses with Wong (seated, third right), Lau (seated, third left) and other members after the meeting. KUCHING: The newly appointed director of Land and Survey Department (LSD) Sajeli Kipli has confirmed the location of the 2,000 hectares of land alienated for Chinese independent schools in the state. The Federation of Sarawak Boards of Management for Chinese Independent Schools president Temenggong Stephen Lau announced the good news yesterday after meeting with Sajeli together with Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and 11 other members. He said the land was located between the border of Miri and Kapit. “They are agricultural lands which are suitable to develop oil palm plantation. In fact, there are private ...

  KANOWIT: The government fulfilled its promise last Monday when it presented a total of RM40,000 in grants to four Chinese temples here. The cheques were presented to the temples’ representatives by Kanowit Member of Parliament, Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang. “Today, I am very pleased to present the RM40,000 grants for the four Chinese temples in this area.This shows that the present government is sensitive to the needs of the people, even their places of worships such as the temples in and around Kanowit District,” he told the press after a handing-over ceremony at the Tai Kwong Kung temple. The four temples which received the minor rural projects (MRP) grants were Lukut Temple, Penyalau Temple, Sah Temple and Tai Wong Kung Temple.Each received RM10,000. “As ...

  KUCHING: Shelters for the homeless under Budget 2012 will be built in Sarawak in a slightly different manner. The state government wants to modify the building of the shelter here to also cater to the mentally disturbed. Presently, there is no purpose-built facility for long-term mental disorder patients, some of whom are without caregivers, in Sarawak, said Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah yesterday. Patients are sheltered at government-run old folks’ home, she said, adding that the arrangement was less than ideal. Rumah Seri Kenangan, about 20 minutes’ drive from here, for example, houses 14 mentally disturbed patients out of about 80 residents. At Sibu’s Rumah Seri Kenangan, there are 17 mentally disturbed ...

  KUCHING: Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, whose ministerial role was expanded following the recent state Cabinet reshuffle, is trying to better integrate social welfare services among the private sector, non-government bodies and public agencies. One of her first tasks, said the Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister yesterday, was to create a better mechanism to receive and distribute donations from private companies. Official unveiling: Fatimah (left) unveiling Sarawak Chinese Physicians’ Association new logo, prior to the start of a free health screening by the association that took place at Batu Kawa, close to Kuching, yesterday. Also seen here is association president James Ho (right). Money and services from the private sector’s various corporate ...