Dr Sim addresses guests during the gathering for the media. KUCHING: The professionalism of media practitioners is now more important than ever especially in the current era where fake news is wreaking havoc in society. Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian who said this pointed out that via social media, everyone can become an ‘agent’ of distributing fake news by not conducting proper checks or verification. “I hope that the majority of citizens can exercise their judgement in distinguishing whether a certain news is authentic, fake, or simply ‘sabotage’ news,” he said during an event organised by the Federation of Chinese Associations of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions for members of the press, here ...

Dr Sim (second left) with (from left) Heng Kee, Chan and Joo Phoi pose after the lion dance performance. — Photo by Teo Yee Sing KUCHING: The annual Kenyalang Chinese New Year (CNY) Bazaar which was officially launched last Saturday runs until Feb 4. A total of 248 stalls at Kenyalang Park Community Centre offer a wide variety of festive goods such as cookies, jerky, ‘nian gao’ (steamed glutinous rice cake), preserved food and festive decorative items. Some enterprising Malay and Indian traders join in the festivity by selling cookies and cakes at the bazaar. Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian launched the bazaar. Also present were Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Datuk James Chan, Temenggong Tan Joo Phoi, Penghulu Tan ...

KUCHING: A total of 7,738 disadvantaged and needy individuals across Sarawak each received RM100 ‘ang pow’ from the state Welfare Department in conjunction with the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration. Kuching topped the list with 2,791 recipients followed by Sibu with 2,073, Miri (670), Sri Aman (528), Sarikei (438), Bintulu (259), Betong (224), Samarahan (213), Limbang (194), Serian (160), Dalat (149) and Kapit (39). This was revealed by the Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development during a charity event here yesterday. According to the ministry, the state Welfare Department doled out over RM209 million to a total of 58,038 recipients under various categories of assistance last year. There are eight types of assistance ...

Abdul Rahman (fourth left) with Ahmad (second left), Imban (second right) and others during the working visit to SMKSP Limbang. LIMBANG: The state government is allocating RM160 million under the Northern Regional Development Authority (NRDA) to upgrade schools in Limbang Division in 2019 – 2020. Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail said the amount is part of the RM1.5 billion allocation for implementation of NRDA projects which was tabled by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg in the Sarawak Budget 2019. “Limbang and Lawas Districts will each receive RM80 million to upgrade schools in their respective areas. “The allocation is a continuing commitment by the state government to help improve the infrastructure ...

Uggah (second left) with (from left) Disam, Manred permanent secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik (behind Uggah), Agriculture Assistant Minister Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh, at Disam’s pineapple farm in Kampung Padang Pan, KM8 Jalan Gumbang near Bau yesterday. BAU: Agropreneurs who are already successful but low in cash flow now have the option to go for venture capital (VC) which was set up by the Sarawak government to help farmers expand their farms. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said successful agropreneurs who had reached a higher level due to subsidy assistance would not be given anymore subsidy by the Sarawak government but would be eligible for financial assistance if needed. “That is where the VC that is set ...

Third to fifth from right: Walter, Mathews and Andrew with the committee members. SARIKEI: Hua Tai/Fortuna Garden Neighbourhood Committee (JKRT) played their part in helping to curb the spread of rabies by conducting a free anti-rabies vaccination programme in collaboration with Sarikei Division Veterinary Department last Saturday. The committee’s deputy chairman, Walter Unjah, said that they were compelled to organise the programme following the detection of infected dogs in Jalan Jongkong and Jalan Hua Tai No. 2 recently. He thanked residents in the neighbourhood area for their overwhelming response to the programme held from 9am till 5pm at Hua Tai basketball court. According to him, a total of 55 dogs received free anti-rabies vaccine during the programme. He ...

Taib (third left) officiates at the dinner. From left are Awang Tengah, Ragad, Juma’ani and Abang Johari. KUCHING: The Sarawak government aims to continue placing high importance on conservation within the state by setting a target to gazette one million hectares of land as Totally Protected Areas by 2020. Under the state land use policy, the forestry sector is also allocated six million hectares for Permanent Forest Estates (EPF) for sustainable management of the state’s economic activities such as timber industry and eco-tourism. To meet these objectives, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg stressed that the state government had also made it mandatory for all long-term forest licences to be certified under the Sustainable Forest Management ...

Taib (third left) officiates STIDC 45th anniversary dinner while Ragad (second left), Abang Johari (second right), Juma’ani (third right), Awang Tengah (left) and Assistant Minister for Entrepreneur and Small, Medium Enterprise (SME) Development Datuk Naroden Majais look on. KUCHING: The Sarawak government aims to continue to place high importance on conservation within the state with one million hectares of land being gazetted as Totally Protected Areas by 2020. Under the state land use policy, the forestry sector is also allocated with six million hectares for the purpose of Permanent Forest Estates (EPF) in managing the state economic activities such as timber industry and eco-tourism more sustainably. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg ...

Abdul Karim flags off the Tunnel Boat race while Lukanisman (second right) and others look on. MIRI: The Sarawak government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports is currently making an effort to bring back Niah Caves’ human remains, which are now being kept at museums overseas. Its minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the human remains would be displayed at new Sarawak Museum Complex in Kuching. “There is archaeological evidence which shows that Niah Caves was inhabited by humans about 65,000 years ago compared to the 40,000 years of inhabitation based on the first research. “This finding has proven that civilisation in Sarawak is much older than other prehistoric areas, and these historical facts, of course, ...

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has decided to bar athletes from Israel from participating in the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships to be held here from July 29 to Aug 4. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the decision was in line with the national policy to bar the athletes. “This decision (to bar) athletes from Israel is a national policy, and the state government has to follow because we don’t want to become a laughing stock by allowing them when the national policy wants to bar them,” he said yesterday, adding the decision was discussed during Thursday’s Sarawak cabinet meeting. Abdul Karim pointed out that the Sarawak government has to abide by the policy because the event was applied ...