KUCHING: The Samariang Service Centre is on standby mode for floods which might occur during yearend downpours, while it rolled out back-to-school gear for needy students in the New Year. According to Samariang assemblywoman Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, the service centre will work together with the state government, state disaster control centre and the resident’s office to assist those affected. “With the possibility of flooding, especially during the monsoon season now, the emergency and rescue team are always on standby mode and we and other members of the party will work together with all related agencies to assist victims,” said Sharifah Hasidah. She elaborated that an emergency response (ER) team must be formed in Samariang to coordinate ...

Hasidah (second left) presenting a bag to one of the students at the event yesterday. KUCHING: A total of 171 students from around Kampung Semerah Padi received their schoolbags and other school materials from the program ‘Sayang 1Samariang’ organised by the Samariang N7 service centre at Kampung Semerah Padi here yesterday. According to Samariang assemblywoman Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, this is the fifth for areas under her constituency. “We, at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), care for education as we believe that education is the way to improve the lives of those who are in the low income bracket,” said Hasidah. She added that the assistance was to lessen the parents’ burden at the start of the new school session, especially ...

SIBU: Introducing entrepreneurship as a subject right from Form One should be supported as it helps to train the mind of the younger generation in basic business techniques and tactics, according to Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais. He was responding to Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan’s statement that entrepreneurship, as a subject, should be introduced from Form One to provide students early exposure to entrepreneurship. “Like other subjects, the knowledge stays in you for a long time, especially when you are good in that subject. “It makes you knowledgeable and increase your ability to understand business theories better compared when you never study the ...

Jamil (fourth left) being briefed on the project by Land and Survey Department assistant planning officer (Samarahan Division) Zeleha Razali (second right). KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Ministry of Youth and Sports intends to set up a mini sports complex with a recreational concept near Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) here under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP). Its secretary general Datuk Jamil Salleh said the complex would be a replacement for the present one at Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce which had been turned into the university’s medical faculty. He also said the complex would consist of various facilities such as futsal court, tennis court, football field, a lake for kayaking as well as a training camp site. “We will change a bit of the building concept ...

KUCHING: The state needs to ensure that education is available to all, before it can even entertain the idea of reclaiming its autonomy on education from the federal government. This is because it has to first look at the whole picture from the physical aspect right to the provision of human resource, education materials and operations, says Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah. Most importantly, she said, the government needs to ensure that education reaches everyone, including rural students and disadvantaged children. “Education is inclusive and we need to think this through as it requires money and proper planning. For instance, do we have enough schools and teachers? “The cost to run the education system is very high, ...

Awang Tengah speaking at the MoU signing ceremony in the presence of Taib (second right) and officials from Yayasan Sarawak and BSAU. — Photo courtesy of Mahmud Sulaiman CHENNAI, India: The state has entered into a significant agreement with BS Abdul Rahman University (BSAU) on addressing the human resource (HR) needs of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). The exercise was performed during the visit by delegates led by Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud here last week. Speaking before the signing of two memoranda of understanding (MoUs), Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the move marked meaningful steps taken by the state government in its endeavour to realise the state’s vision ...

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Preserving the cultural identity of the vast communities living on the island of Borneo is now vital due to rapid globalisation and modern influence. According to Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, a strategic approach is needed to preserve these cultures especially among the younger generation to ensure that they do not forget their humble roots and prepare them to become better persons in the global community. “Local knowledge and wisdom is still very relevant and important to ensure the survival of our identity and socio-culture in this globalised world,” said Fatimah who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem at the closing of the ‘IPT Borneo Dance Festival V 2014’ hosted ...

MIRI: Being poor and financially handicapped should not discourage children from pursuing higher education in light of the many channels of aid available nowadays. Assistant Minister of Communication Datuk Lee Kim Shin, in giving advice to single mothers, said: “It should be the driving force and motivate them to pursue higher education and be successful in life and career in the future. Apart from that, there are a lot of channels for them in getting assistance and help.” Commending the Single Mothers’ Association here for organising various activities and programmes to assist members and children, Lee, during a presentation of school uniforms, shoes, bags and stationery to 150 students, said through their efforts and initiative, a number of children are now ...

Taib and Ragad (centre) with Prince of Arcot, Mawab Mohamad Abdul Ali (fourth left), and wife Sayeeb Begun (fourth right). Others from left are Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Awang Hasan, Dato Sri Empiang Jabu and Datuk Patinggi Alfred Jabu. Dato Dayang Morliah is at right. — Photo by Penerangan KUCHING: The mission to Chennai was both successful and timely to strengthen the existing good ties and collaboration in many areas for the good of the Sarawak and the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, said Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan. This was more so now as Sarawak had entered her second wave of industrialization programme with the establishment of a clear master plan in industrial development, particularly in the development of ...

BINTULU: A literacy progamme carried out among middle aged Penans in the Murum hydro dam area in the interior of Belaga near here has produced positive result. Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) manager for social investment, Joanne Tan Cho Yian said 341 out of the 550, who had no formal education, were now being able to read fluently and write with confidence since it started in 2012. Briefing reporters on a two-day visit to the dam area here today, she said the programme was part of SEB’s corporate social responsibility which stressed on the importance of equipping the villagers at the Tegulang and Metalun resettlement centres with the basic ability to read and write . Some 1,415 people from 353 families are affected by the implementation of the RM3 billion dam and are now living ...