Federal subsidy to benefit 61,000 families in Sarawak and 15,000 in Sabah, says minister Manyin (left) explains to Ismail Sabri how the padi mill works. KUCHING: The federal government is allocating RM70 million for the hill padi farm subsidy programme for Sarawak and Sabah. In disclosing this, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said the programme was meant to support hill padi farmers in the two states. According to him, the subsidy would benefit 61,000 families in Sarawak and 15,000 families in Sabah covering an area of about 71,000 hectares. “With the subsidy, the ministry (Agriculture and Agro-based) is targeting to increase to three metric tonnes per hectare the hill padi production compared to 743 kg ...

MIRI: The federal government has approved the construction of two blocks of building for boarding students of high-performing school SK Ulu Lubai in Limbang and will consider other requests for other infrastructure upgrading. The state government is also push for the upgrading of a block of classroom, teachers staffroom and resource room to overcome the frequent flooding at the school built by the riverbank. Minister in charge of Intensive Coordination Unit (ICU) under the Prime Minister’s Office, Datuk Seri Idris Jala, during a visit yesterday, approved the construction of the buildings which could accommodate 30 boys and 30 girls each. He was joined by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Paulu Gumbang and his Bukit ...

The villagers are seen giving their thumbs-up after receiving the fertiliser. Ismail Sabri (fourth right) and others join in the harvesting of hill padi. TEBEDU: Farmers planting hill padi in Kampung Gahat Mawang here are enjoying a rising harvest due to new technology developed from a research conducted by Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) and Department of Agriculture (DOA). Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Farmers Organisations), Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran said through the new technology, padi production in the area has increased from 743kg per hectare to 1,428 kg or 97.5 per cent. “Through the new technology and use of fertiliser and weedicide, padi production in the area has increased – this technology ...

BETONG: Residents of two longhouses here, who were affected by the recent floods, are all smiles after receiving a long boat and an eight-horsepower motorboat from the state government. Headmen of Rumah Comos Meribong and Rumah Galau, Nanga Jelau of Layar accepted the contribution on the villagers’ behalf from political secretary to chief minister Isik Utau here yesterday. “The government is making all the efforts in helping the people by giving facilities that can be used by all. During the recent floods, the bridges leading to these two longhouses were damaged, cutting the communities off. “Now, an alternative way to reach the villages is via the river,” Isik said, adding that the state government had approved the allocation to rebuild not only ...

Adenan (fifth right) posing for a photograph with the visitors. On his left is Tiong. KUCHING: Investors from Taipei, Taiwan, are keen to know more about business opportunities in the agriculture sector and food processing industry in the state. The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to East Asia Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said this was conveyed to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem by the Taiwanese delegations during a courtesy call here yesterday. “Some of them (investors) said they were interested to venture in agriculture sector and food processing business in the state and the Chief Minister was very supportive about it,” he said. Tiong said the delegates who were mostly members of Taipei Investors’ Association in Malaysia were ...

Fishermen jetties in Kuching area to close after completion of new fisheries complex at Kampung Tanjung Bako Ismail Sabri (centre) looking at the construction plan with Jabu (second left), Hazland (left) and others at the site yesterday. KUCHING: Fishermen in the state’s southern zone will have to land all their catches at the new Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) Fisheries Complex being built at Kampung Tanjung Bako when it is completed. The first phase of the fisheries complex, the second one in the state, is expected to be ready by July 22, 2017 after which all fish landing jetties in the Kuching area will be closed to enforce the centralised landing. This was revealed by Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob ...

Abang Johari (second right) inspecting a dilapidated bridge at Kampung Kudei Lama. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung KUCHING: Kampung Kudei here will undergo transformation in tandem with the rapid development in Satok. In announcing this, Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state had allocated about RM4.6 million this year for the urbanisation exercise in Satok constituency. He said RM2 million would be used to replace two bridges connecting Kampung Kudei Lama and Kampung Kudei Baru. To be built at a cost of RM1 million each, the bridges will cater for pedestrians and motorcycles and benefit about 700 households with a combined population of some 3,000 in both villages. The Satok assemblyman added that other projects include the upgrading ...

Len (centre), with assistance from Baharudin (third left), presses a button on a laptop as a gimmick to launch the TVET website. KUCHING: Sarawak will be hosting the inaugural World Technical, Vocational, Education and Training (TVET) Conference at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) from Aug 25 to 27 this year. This was announced by Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Promotion of Technical Education) Datu Len Talif yesterday, during which he also launched its official website. In his speech before the launching, Len thanked the Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) and the state government for successfully bringing the prestigious conference to Malaysia and Kuching as the venue. He said the conference was timely as it has what it takes to ...

Lo (fourth left), Park Dong-cheol (fifth left) and South Korean delegates as well as MPP councillors and heads of departments capturing a moment together. KUCHING: Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and Geumsan-gun Chungcheongnam-do of Republic of South Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday, which marked an important milestone in strengthening ties between the regions. With a strong commitment from councils of both sides, MPP chairman Lo Khere Chiang expressed confidence that the collaboration would inspire more joint innovative programmes between the two regions in future, driving development in the six selected innovative areas between the two sides to a new height. “The MoU signed this morning covers six areas of cooperation such as public administration, ...