Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye SIBU: Tourism and hospitality industry operators are urged to embrace the safety culture and implement the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) concept. Niosh chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye noted that this holiday period, many domestic and foreign visitors would flock to holiday resorts and spend time with family members and friends. He pointed out that accidents which occur from time to time involving tourists and tour operators should be a wake-up call to all those involved in the tourism and hospitality industry to take a very serious view of safety issues. “It is time for all those involved in the hospitality industry such as tour and hotel operators, food and entertainment establishments and so on, to take a serious view of the frequent occurrence of accidents and fatalities involving not only their employees but also the tourists and the public. “It is essential for those involved in the hospitality industry to take all necessary measures to make the holiday outings accident-free,” Lee said in a press statement recently. He added: “Accidents can be reduced if we make prudent and cautious work practices part of our culture. Meticulousness about safety must be a core value for both employers and employees. Safety and health must be transformed into a culture and not be accepted as just a priority.” According to Lee, OSH plays an important part in the hospitality and tourism industry to prevent accidents and injuries and fatalities. If OSH is not practised, it can lead to accidents resulting in injuries or even deaths. Instead, he stressed that commitment to health and safety makes good business sense for tour operators and those involved in the hospitality industry to prevent accidents involving their guests and employees. Implementing OSH for the hospitality industry involves the practice of HIRARC (Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control). All places of work have hazards and risks which need to be addressed. He asserted that it is incumbent upon those who are at the workplace to identify the hazards and risks and take safety measures to address them so that it will not give rise to accidents or deaths. Adding on, he noted that many resorts, hotels and chalet are providing their guests with outdoor activities like mountain climbing, hiking, scuba diving, snorkelling, water rafting, wall climbing, bungee jumping and many more. These activities involve technical and high risks. The procedure and Emergency Response Team as well as First Aider are needed for any emergency. According to Lee, tour guides also can be exposed to many occupational health and safety risks including physical, biological or psychosocial hazards that can cause serious risk to their health. “Considering all these factors, I therefore suggest that it is time for all hospitality industry players to push for “OSH for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry” and strive to make their business accident-free.”

The Donu Peninjau (wish pool) located at the foot of Bukit Peninjau. KUCHING: An allocation of RM1.6 million has been approved to restore Bung Muan, Bukit Peninjau, as well as Siniawan Bazaar in Bau. Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh said the development at Bung Muan would include the construction of a Tourist Information Centre, the restoration of Wallace Trail and Sir James Brooke Cottage, and a look-out (viewing) point. He said all the projects at Bung Muan and Siniawan Bazaar would begin next year. “These two places have interesting historical and cultural value which, if properly developed and promoted, have great potential of becoming popular tourist attractions in Kuching and Bau in particular. It is my hope that these projects will bring prosperity to the local economy and develop a new form of income for the local people,” he said. Bung Muan is one of the four ‘bung’, or mount/hill top, belonging to the Bidayuh community that is being considered for gazettement as communal reserve. The Bidayuh community leader for Kuching Division, Temenggong Austin Dimin had recently revealed that aside from Bung Muan, the other ‘bung’ being considered are Bung Jagoi – located between Kampung Serasot and Kampung Duyoh, Bung Singai near Kampung Tanjong, and Bung Barau in Kampung Bunuk. Miro, meanwhile, welcomed the willingness of the state government and the Land and Survey Department in considering the gazettement of the four ‘bung’. He said Bung Muan at Mount Serembu, also known as Mount Peninjau, is very important to the local people as it was home to the earliest settlement of the Serumbu Bidayuhs some 300 years ago. It is said that Sir James Brooke, while on a working visit to Siniawan and Bau, was captivated by the Bidayuh longhouses at the mountain top facing Siniawan. Between 1848 and 1850, with the help of the villagers there, he built a cottage at Bung Muan located just above the settlement to escape the heat of Kuching. One of Brooke’s friends, Alfred Russel Wallace, whom he met in Singapore, was invited to visit the state and Wallace ended up spending 14 months here, longer than at any other place he visited in the Malay Archipelago. Wallace, a renowned naturalist, was offered the use of Brooke’s bungalow at Bung Muan. He made many important findings related to the forest in Bukit Peninjau. Some new facilities have already been made available at the foot of Bukit Peninjau. Among them are the visitors’ information centre and the Donu Peninjau or Peninjau Pool (wish pool), which is already operational.

Julaihi (third right) presents a packet of dates to a villager while others look on.   KUCHING: The federal government is urged to continue implementing projects that have already been approved in the rural areas like the Batang Lupar Bridge, Igan Bridge and SMK Sebuyau. Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi said that continuing those projects would be a catalyst for more development to come into those areas, in line with the Sarawak government aspiration in bringing the rural and coastal areas into the mainstream of development. He added that the building of the rural coastal roads would provide an unbroken link between southern and northern Sarawak, with all ferry facilities replaced by bridges. “I hope no one would come forward to hinder the building of the coastal  roads, which is a socio-economic boost for the people.” Julaihi who is also Sebuyau assemblyman, later presented a packet of dates each to the elderly and poor people from various villages in Sebuyau. He also reminded Muslims to observe the Ramadan fasting month and continue to strengthen unity among them for their own good.

Wong (second left) inserts a letter into a bottle (time capsule) to declare open the celebration while Siaw (left), Tiong (right) and others look on. SIBU: Barriers that divide Malaysians must be removed because they, visible or invisible, bring about psychological divide among the people. Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said: “Some historians say Malaysia is unified but not united. Others say Malaysia is united but not unified, meaning, we are neither united nor unified. “We cannot allow this sort of situation to perpetuate. We have to bring about greater unity.” Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, said this at the Sarawak Day celebration at the Islamic Complex here yesterday. He said it is important to be understanding, tolerant, helpful, give-and-take attitude, have a concern for other people’s feelings, sincerity, care, understanding and goodwill. “It is also important to have a strong conviction in our mind that we truly want unity for all of us, particularly in Sarawak, for the good of our children and our grandchildren,” he added. He said the nation’s two greatest enemies, namely racism and religious fanaticism, are serious obstacles to the nation’s unity. “It is important for the people to socialise to avoid becoming polarised. We must break down all barriers among us. There are many kinds of barriers visible and invisible,” he said. On Sarawak Day, he said it is important for the people to understand that Sarawak played an instrumental role in the formation of Malaysia. “Many people thought that Sarawak was admitted into Malaysia.” He said Sarawak had been celebrating National Day every year on Aug 31 for so many years. “However, three years ago, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem wanted July 22 to be proclaimed as Sarawak Day because that was the day Sarawak assumed self-government. “On July 22, 1963, Sarawak attained self-government from the British and remained so until Sept 16, 1963 when it formed the Federation of Malaysia together with Sabah, Singapore and Malaya. This is the history that we ought to know.” On the celebration, he said it created a heightened awareness among the community, particularly community leaders, on Sarawak Day. Wong also urged the people to rally behind Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for greater development in Sarawak. Sibu Resident Charles Siaw, Sibu District Officer Awang Yusof Awang Mostapha and Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King were among those present at the gathering.

Masing (fourth right) presents a mock cheque for RM4 million to Temenggong Tan Kian Hoo, who received it on behalf of SJK(C) Ming Tat Relocation Fund. Also seen are Nanta (third right) and others. KAPIT: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg handed out government grants totalling RM9.6 million to various recipients here on Monday. The cheque presentation was held in conjunction with the dinner hosted by the Kapit Chinese Community Leaders Association at a local restaurant. The recipients were SJK(C) Ming Tat School (RM4 million) for relocating from Sarikei to Kapit, new Kapit Methodist Iban Church (RM3 million), SDNU Kapit for its new cemetery (RM1 million), Kapit Foochow Association (RM500,000), Kapit Kwang Tung Association (RM500,000), SJK(C) Hock Lam (RM500,000) and SJK(C) Hin Hua, Song (RM100,000). In his speech, Kapit MP Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi informed that the cheques were made out following the Chief Minister’s visit to Kapit recently. Witnessing the cheques presentation were Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Dagang, Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang, political secretaries to the chief minister Maurice Giri, Tapah Ata and Nicholas Kudi Jantai, Kapit Resident Joseph Belayong, Deputy Kapit Resident Galong Luang, Walikota Philimon Nuing, Kapit district officer Elvis Didit, Bukit Mabong district officer Douglas Pungga, Song district officer Jacklyn August, heads of other governmentdepartments and community leaders.

Awang Tengah (fifth left) hands over a memento to Raid, witnessed by (from left) Lulie, Sarudu, Abdul Hamed, Abdul Aziz, Len, Sharbini and Wan Lizozman. KUCHING: Sarawak has the potential to develop a mechanical mill that could utilise pulpwood logs from the existing forest plantations, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. In addition to this, he observes that Sarawak also has competitive energy costs and is located within the growth area for the paper packaging industry. Awang Tengah, who is also the Industrial and Entrepreneur Development Minister, made these remarks after leading the second group of the Sarawak delegation to visit the Estonian Cell mill at Kunda in Estonia on Thursday. Based on this trip, the Sarawak government would later need to assess the factors of production including investors, resources and manpower and then, have all these things readily available before such mill could be set up, the minister said through a press statement issued from Tallinn, Estonia yesterday. During the Thursday visit, the Sarawak delegates were briefed by Estonian Cell chief technical officer Lauri Raid. Awang Tengah and his entourage were part of the Sarawak delegation led by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for the official working visit to Finland and Estonia, which commenced on Sept 23 and concluded yesterday. After the briefing, the delegates toured the production line. “This state-of-the-art mill is one of the largest foreign investments in Estonia producing bleached chemi-thermo mechanical pulp from Aspen. Mechanical pulp can be used to manufacture end-products like printing and writing paper, specialty paper, packaging boxes and folded board,” the statement said. “The annual production capacity of this mill is about 140,000 tonnes, with pulpwood requirements of about 400,000 tonnes. With anticipation of growth in demand for packaging materials, Estonian Cell has expanded the mill’s annual capacity to 173,000 tonnes.” The mill is sited on Kunda due to key factors such as availability of port facilities, sustainable supply of raw materials, water supply and competitive energy prices.The Sarawak delegates would strive to learn from Estonia’s experience in developing the mechanical pulp mill. Awang Tengah’s entourage includes Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr Abdul Aziz Husain, Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi, Urban Development and Natural Resources permanent secretary Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar, Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation general manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai, SEB chief executive officer Sharbini Suhaili and Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute director Dr Lulie Meling.

Dr Rundi (centre) fields questions from the media. KUCHING: Bintulu will host the state-level National Day celebration on Aug 31, with Dewan Suarah as the main venue. Minister for Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi is the minister-in-charge of the event and is assisted by Assistant Minister of Native Laws and Customs Datuk John Sikie Tayai and Assistant Minister of Water Supply Liwan Lagang. “A Majlis Kesyukuran (thanksgiving) at Masjid Assyakin will be held at 6pm on Aug 30 with the arrival of ministers, guests and others,” Dr Rundi told a press conference here yesterday. Head of State Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Raghad Kurdi Taib and Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and wife Datin Amar Dato Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang will arrive about 6.30pm. The prayer service will start with Azan, followed by  Solat Fardhu Maghrib, Tahlil, Doa Kesyukuran and Takzirah Kebangsaan. After that will be the Azan and Solat Fardu Isyak Berjemaah before they adjourn for dinner with other non-Muslim guests, Dr Rundi said. At 7am the next day (Aug 31), will see the arrival of 80 contingents taking part in the rally and parade. More than 3,000 people are involved in the rally – from the public and private sectors, NGOs, uniformed and non-uniformed bodies and students. The guests of honour will be Taib and Raghad. Soon after their arrival, the state anthem will be played followed by a welcoming performance. After the Doa (prayer), the contingents will begin the march past. Then, the chief minister will deliver his speech. After that, Taib will be invited to perform the launching ceremony and cut a birthday cake to be presented by 81 pupils. This will be followed by the singing of the national anthem. Meanwhile, in the evening of Aug 30, a concert for members of the public will be held at Bintulu Esplanade, which will feature famous local artistes such as Bob Yusuf of Akademi Fantasia fame, Nurul Shida, Nurafizah Busman, Mail Imran, Dayangku Fadillah, Ricky Anderson, Band D’Cipta, Fikon Group and others. It will start at 8pm. “Members of public are encouraged to fly the national and state flags to show support to the event and to celebrate the National Day,” said Dr Rundi.

Rodziah (seventh right) presents a trophy and cash prize to Alvinson. BINTULU: Bintulu is not only known for its heavy industries but also for the many big events and carnivals that take place in this vibrant industrial town. Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) general manager Rodziah Morshidi said people in Bintulu should be proud that based on the records of the Ministry of Tourism in 2016, the division was the second most visited destination in Sarawak. She believed that all the events and activities held here had resulted in more visitors coming to Bintulu. She said this when officiating at the closing of the Bintulu Tanglung Carnival 2018 at Naim Bintulu Paragon Street Mall on Monday evening. She was also happy to note that despite the thousands of people coming to the five-day carnival, the Boulevard Road and nearby carnival site were very clean. “I am not bias. I often go to events held in other places but those held in Bintulu are relatively cleaner. I am very proud to mention here that Bintulu has made a name for itself among the people in other divisions that we have managed to keep the town clean. So keep Bintulu that way. “The spirit of working together should be maintained, strengthened and encouraged by all those who come after us,” said Rodziah. She said she was committed to making Bintulu popular among all the divisions in Sarawak and believed that BDA has what it takes to help this town win a lot of awards. As a local authority, she said BDA had won awards in the civil service sector, namely the high performing team award, five-star award for accountability, and five-star in local authority award. “Let this be encouragement for us to improve our delivery system,” she said. Rodziah also congratulated the organising committee and Federation of Registered Chinese Associations (Forca) members for their hard work in ensuring the success of the carnival each year. She also called on those who will head Forca in the coming term to keep the momentum high to make the event better and grander. Bintulu Tanglung Carnival, she said, is the second premier event for Bintulu after the Borneo International Kite Festival (BIKF). She added the best thing about the carnival was the number of events and activities held while for BIKF, it was the number of visitors and spectators which had won the Hornbill Tourism Award in 2016 under the event category. She also invited the winners of the Bintulu Showdance and lion dance competition and other contests to perform during BIKF to be held from Sept 26-30. The showdance competition was won by Dance Theatre while second and third places went to Devils Crew and Black and Jack, respectively. In the one-on-one All Style Battle, Alvinson emerged victorious after beating Mohd Fadzli. Hakka Association won the food stall decoration contest while second place went to Bintulu Foochow Association. Meanwhile, the Lion and Dragon Dance Club of Kuantan Builders Association emerged champion in the Naim Malaysia Borneo Highpole Lion Dance Championship. Second and third places respectively went to the Lion and Dragon Dance Club of Persatuan Penganut-Penganut Shin Shi, and Malaysia Xuan Wu from Selangor. Also present were Forca Bintulu president Hii Toh Him, advisors Pemanca Datuk Dr Francis Toh, Datuk Pui Kian Onn and Datuk Pau Chiong Ung, organising chairman Chin Chee Fui and Naim Bintulu regional general manager Abang Mahathir Mohamed.

A rafting competition whereby 3-5 members in a group of participants will get the chance to manouvre the raft through Kayan/Batang Sadong River once used by riverine communities. Starting Point: Kampung Tema Mawang Tebedu Finishing Point: Tebakang Bazaar, Serian, Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia   For more informations, please call: DAVID ANAK LANDONG (019-8487326) Tel: Tel : 082-874154 / 082-874155 Fax: 082-874799 @##@Serian District Council In Collaboration With The Divisional Tourism Task Group (DTTG)@##@@##@2014-05-10@##@2014-05-10

October 19, 2019 - October 27, 2019 The Pesta Limau Bintangor, or Bintangor Citrus Festival, takes place in Sibu. With fruit and produce showcases and competitions in the forefront, appreciating the agricultural prowess of the area, the event also features cooking competitions with citrus as the focal point, cultural performances and traditional sports competitions, as well as modern sports competitions such as badminton, football, basketball and power boat racing. The festival also has beauty pageants and strongmen competitions, poster drawing contest and fishing events as well. For more information, contact the Meradong District Office: T: 084-693 245 @##@Pejabat Daerah Maradong dan Julau@##@Bintangor@##@2019-10-19@##@2019-10-27

Rohani (centre) helps an elderly man to choose the frame for his new glasses. SRI AMAN: One-hundred senior citizens of Kampung Kalok in Pusa near here are set to have better sights soon, thanks to a programme funded by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry. The old folk had their eyes examined before picking the frames of their choice during the ministry’s ‘i-Care’ programme yesterday, held in collaboration with National Welfare Foundation (YKN). According to Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim, the i-Care YKN programme is held in line with the ‘Jelajah Negaraku’ campaign meant to reach out to the rural community. “Under this programme, we hand out spectacles to senior citizens for free. They would have their eyes checked and then, they choose the frames that they prefer. “In two weeks’ time, we will return with the 100 new spectacles for them,” she told reporters after launching the programme. Rohani, who is also Batang Lupar MP, said the inaugural i-Care YKN programme took place in Sebuyau in August this year, with the same number of recipients. “We want to fix it at 100 recipients at a time because it is easier for us to implement. “About RM20,000 is spent for every programme so far. We want to do it in Batang Lupar first, and then improve the programme before expanding it to other areas,” she said. Rohani said i-Care YKN had received good response from the rural folk so far; some of those in Kampung Kalok had even requested for the programme to be extended to children. “In Sebuyau, we had a mixed one (programme) – for both senior citizens and the children. This time, we do it for only senior citizens but some of them asked: ‘Why not for children?’ “We will have more of this programme in the future. I want to engage the private sector in this programme as part of fulfilling their CSR (corporate social responsibility),” she said. Rohani added that her ministry would work on ‘bringing in some optical store operators’ to enhance the programme and eventually, benefit the rural community in other parliamentary constituencies. “This programme is well received by the people in the rural areas because it is both time-consuming and costly for most of them to travel to town just to get a pair of spectacles. “An elderly man whom I interacted with just now, also told me that he could see clearly with the spectacles and he liked it,” the minister said.

KUCHING: Sarawak is ahead of other Malaysian states in conducting Social and Environmental Impact Assessments (SEIA) before any development projects begin.  Whilst pursuing growth, the Government of Sarawak is promoting sustainable development to ensure that the environment and the state’s natural resources are not adversely affected. Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said: “I regard environmental protection and sustainable forestry as an integral part of our State’s growth and our goal to achieve ‘developed’ country status by 2020.  It is of the utmost importance that we balance development and environmental conservation. This is a key priority for the Government of Sarawak.” Most recently, the Government conducted a Social and Environmental Impact Assessment on the Murum dam project.  This 940MW dam is the third hydro-power damto be built in Sarawak and the first turbine is planned for operation in August 2012. Hydro-power is the cleanest, safest and cheapest form of energy in the long run and due to today’s technologies, hydropower has a lower environmental impact than traditional fuels such as diesel. The SEIA Study for the Murum dam project complies with international standards, especially those of the Equator Principles and the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The study examines the social and environmental impact of the dam and the resettlement of the affected communities, including cultural heritage and ethnography. The key to effective resettlement is free, prior and informed consultation with regard to resettlement sites and livelihood options to ensure that the resettlement will result in an improvement in the lives of the people while retaining their cultural heritage. The study will be completed by early 2011 and a summary of the study will be made available to the general public for feedback. Sarawakis experiencing major construction and infrastructure projects as a result of the Government’s goals to modernise.  It aims to increase GDP by 500% and provide over one million new jobs by 2030, thereby improving the standard of living for the people of Sarawak.  To do this, it is investing heavily in major industry, agriculture and energy projects. The Government embarked on the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) initiative in 2008, to develop industry across five key areas, Tanjung Manis, Samalaju,Mukah, Baram and Tunoh.  As part of the initiative two hydro power dams at Bakun and Murum, two coal power stations at Mukah and Balingian, an industrial park atSamalaju, a Halal food processing hub at Tanjung Manis, and a Science Park at Mukahare planned.  Connecting roads will also be built which will stretch in to rural areas such as Baram and Tunoh. The SCORE initiative affects a large area (320 km) and although significant the development is gradual and will take a total of 22 years to complete.  The Government of Sarawak is being very careful to ensure that this growth is sustainable and that it creates a stronger economy, more jobs, better education and health facilities whilst tightly monitoring the environmental impact to ensure it is kept to a minimum.

  Mussen delivers his welcoming remarks at the opening of the outreach programme. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi KUCHING: Industry 4.0 is set to bring about job displacement due to the high degree of technology and automation adoptions. Assistant Minister of Industries and Investment Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, who pointed this out yesterday, said the country would need to prepare the skills set needed to operate in a highly technologically driven environment besides retaining displaced workers. “Ideally, Industry 4.0 can be driven by the industry on their own with minimal government intervention required. “However, Malaysia’s current manufacturing landscape is largely divergent across sub-sectors with some still resorting to manual labour while others are already high tech in their operations. “These high tech firms require only a handful of technicians to be present for troubleshooting in the production line. Even then, troubleshooting can be done remotely. “In short, human capital development is an important element in the adaptation of Industry 4.0,” he said before Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong declared open an outreach programme on Industry 4.0 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching here. Mussen opined that changes would not come as easy for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) especially if they felt intimidated and apprehensive about where to begin in embracing Industry 4.0. He then suggested that they start with solving the existing problem in their production process. “For instance, you can integrate 3D printing and digital simulation in the prototyping stage to shorten the length of the product design phase, or employ big data analysis and internet to prevent recurring breakdown of machines to avoid downtime. “You can even incorporate cloud computing and cybersecurity to ensure the integrity and security of the data of your company,” he said. He was pleased to announce that SMEs in the state made up 6.7 per cent of the total 907,000 SMEs in Malaysia. “With that, about 61,000 of businesses in Sarawak are SMEs. The contributions made by Malaysian SMEs in general and Sarawak in particular are very important towards creating job opportunities and uplifting the standard of living of Malaysians. “I am certain that SMEs in Sarawak have bright prospects as well as competitive edge towards embracing Industry 4.0,” he remarked. Pointing out that Industry 4.0 is a digital revolution, he said SMEs in the country ought to ask whether the digitisation process would affect their businesses. He added that they needed to be able to see the value of Industry 4.0 from the aspect of productivity (to reduce the overall cost and improve productivity level), quality (to reduce human errors and flexibility) and shorter time to market. “The move to Industry 4.0 will require leadership and change management. I hope SMEs will not fear the changes needed but be bold enough to make these changes,” he said.

KUCHING: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri will prepare a paper for the federal cabinet, proposing the extension of Taxi Industry Transformation Plan (TITP) to Sarawak and Sabah. She said there are 11 initiatives under the TITP which are greatly benefitting taxi drivers. Presently, however, it is only implemented in Peninsular Malaysia. “Taxi drivers do not have any holidays. They are not covered by insurance. TITP will allow them to be covered under Socso, where from July 1 onward, it will be compulsory for them to contribute RM170 for their Socso. “But again as TITP only covers Peninsular Malaysia presently, we need to get cabinet approval before taxi drivers in Sarawak and Sabah can enjoy these benefits,” Nancy told The Borneo Post when met at the Hari Raya open house of Assistant Minister of Entrepreneur and Small Medium Enterprise Development Datuk Naroden Majais on Wednesday evening. On the tension between conventional taxi drivers and e-hailing services, Nancy, who is minister in charge of Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), acknowledged that e-hailing services in Malaysian was still at a teething stage and said she would put in effort to ensure that the resentment would end in a win-win situation. With the government most willing to be of assistance to help taxi drivers’ transition from traditional operation to the new e-hailing service, Nancy said she was confident of achieving a final result. “Not all taxi drivers are against e-hailing. There are some working for leasing companies in Peninsular Malaysia who are willing to go solo. However, due to the lack of funds to purchase their own vehicles, bankruptcy or failure to secure loans, they have been unable to do so. “Under TITP, these taxi drivers would be given a grant of RM5,000 for them to buy a car where they can start to be part of e-hailing services. And as it is a grant, they do not have to pay back,” she said. In view that TITP can bring many benefits to the taxi drivers, the Batang Sadong MP is determined to work hard to get it extended to Sarawak and Sabah. “As Sarawak has its own LPKP (Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board) and not under SPAD, we have to get the approval of the cabinet to extend it over to Sarawak,” added Nancy. She said to ensure the safety of the passengers of e-hailing service in Sarawak, the new requirements of submitting e-hailing drivers’ background to law enforcement agencies and the addition of panic button in e-hailing application would also be implemented in the state. “Their implementation does not require an amendment to the Land Public Transport Act (APAD). So it can be done now.” She said both e-hailing service providers in Malaysia — Uber and GrabCar — had agreed to the government’s requests. “All these measures are taken to ensure the safety of the passengers of e-hailing.  Uber and Grab have no problem in meeting with these requirements,” said Nancy.

Chan (second row, sixth right) accepts a memento from a representative of the Zhanjiang City delegation. KUCHING: Kuching South City mayor Datuk James Chan wants to continue nurturing the good relationship between Kuching and cities in China. It is known that Kuching South City Council (MBKS) has forged ties with its counterparts from the republic through various means, including the establishment of ‘twin cities’ and ‘twin municipalities’. Chan said this when hosting courtesy calls by two delegations from China at his office in MBKS building yesterday. Chan receives a souvenir from one of the Kunming delegates. The first group was the representatives of Zhanjiang City of Guangzhou Province, followed by the delegates from Kunming in Yunan Province. Chan said these were the cities where MBKS officials had visited in the past. “We have great friendships with these cities. We are also happy that they are sending their delegates to visit us in Kuching,” he said. MBKS officials and the delegates from both Chinese cities exchanged mementos during these visits.

Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window)   Fadillah delivers his keynote address. KUCHING: A total of RM6.6 billion has been allocated towards providing quality infrastructure across the country under the Fourth Thrust of the 2018 Budget – Driving Inclusive Development. Minister of Works Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the infrastructure includes Pan-Borneo Highway; people-centric projects, the development of communication infrastructure and the construction of roads in rural areas. He noted that Malaysia was actually on par with developed countries in terms of road infrastructure. “For example, we are using the Highway Information Modelling (HIM) in implementing the 2,239km Pan-Borneo Highway which aims to increase connectivity in Sabah and Sarawak. “HIM utilises a combination of Geospatial Information System (GIS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) which are designed to minimise errors and rework during construction in ensuring optimisation of resources,” he said in his keynote address entitled ‘Outlook of Malaysian Road Infrastructure’ at the International Energy Week in BCCK here yesterday. Fadillah acknowledged that infrastructure development was one of the criteria in defining a nation’s stability and growth. He said in Malaysia’s context, it had also been the basis of the comprehensive 2018 Budget where ‘the combination of advanced and sustainable infrastructure development upholds the theme of serving our citizens’ needs.’ In particular, he noted that roads are identified as important elements to ensure access to basic amenities, in elevating productivity, connectivity and improving service delivery in the supply chain. “As such, developing the nation’s infrastructure is established as one of the six strategic thrusts of the 11th Malaysia Plan 2016-2020 (11th MP) where efforts to catalyse progress and improve our citizen’s wellbeing is prioritised with infrastructure development taking a big chunk of the overall approved allocations. “Furthermore, mega infrastructure projects throughout Malaysia under the 11th MP are largely responsible for the 8.3 per cent growth in the construction industry in 2017. “These projects include the East Coast Rail Line (ECRL), Mass Rapid Transit project (MRT) and Pan-Borneo Highway,” he said.

BINTULU: The Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R) concept has to be implemented for sustainable development, said Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan. Bintulu for instance should embrace the 3R concept as the town is growing rapidly with various heavy industries, he said in his text of speech at the prize presentation ceremony for the 3R Inspiring Innovation & Music with Nature 2015 competition here yesterday. His text of speech was read by Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Promotion of Technical Education) and Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Taliff Salleh. “The 3R is not a new thing – few of us do it at home, and few people are aware, understand and exercise it,” Awang Tengah said. “A sustainable approach is critical for strategic policies especially on environmental management.” All parties should respect nature and make the 3R a way of life and part of our culture, he pointed out. The competition was organised by Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG) via its subsidiary Asean Bintulu Fertilizer (ABF) to promote environmental awareness among the public. More than 800 participants created useful items and perform musical performances using instruments made from recycled materials. The competition was divided into two categories – children and young working adults. The Inspiring Innovation category was open to primary and secondary students as well as institutions of higher learning. The Music with Nature category saw participation from secondary school students, the public and private higher learning institutes as well as representatives from government agencies and the private sector. ABF managing director and chief executive officer M Zainol Mohd Zin said the competition, one of PCG’s corporate social responsibility activities, aimed to enhance awareness of 3R among the public. Started in 2009, the competition was held in collaboration with the Natural Resources and Environment Board, Bintulu Development Authority and Bintulu District Education Office. Laku Team from Laku Management Sdn Bhd won the Music with Nature (higher learning institution/ government agency and private sector) category. They received RM1,000, a trophy and certificate. Second and third places went to IPG Sarawak Miri campus and MLNG Petro Akustika that walked away with RM900 and RM800 respectively, trophy and certificates. SMK Sebauh won in the secondary school category and received RM1,000, a trophy and certificates. SMK Tatau and Bintulu Vocational College in second and third places took RM900 and RM800 respectively with a trophy and certificate each. In the 3R Inspiring Innovation for IPT category, Adtec Bintulu was in first place with RM800, a trophy and certificate. Second and third places went to Open University Malaysia Miri campus and Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu campus respectively that received RM700 and RM600 with a trophy and certificate each. Secondary school winner Bintulu Vocational College received RM700, a trophy and certificate. SMK Sebauh and  SMK Kidurong in second and third places received RM600 and RM500 respectively with trophy and certificates. In the primary school category SJK Chung Hua was champion and received RM500, a trophy and certificate. Second placed was SK Kpg Jepak (RM400, trophy and certificate) while third place went to SK Sebauh (RM300, trophy and certificate).

Borneo International Kite Festival 2019 will be held in this seaside town of Bintulu, making it the 15th edition of the event.  The huge windy open space of the Old Bintulu Airport that faces the South China Sea means ideal consistent flying condition that kiters love. This also explains why four records of magnitude number of kites have been set since its inception in 2005.  The latest being 2,500 diamond kites were flown, forming the longest arch kite tunnel of 500 metres which went into the Malaysia Book of Records. Expect 400 kiters from 25 countries to participate at this festival. This family-fun event comes with it cultural and artiste performances in the evening. Make a day trip to Similajau National Park as a side-trip.@##@Bintulu Development Authority@##@Old Airport Runway@##@2019-09-25@##@2019-09-29

Fatimah (second left) takes a tour around Sarawak Energy headquarters, accompanied by Sharbini (right) and other staff.     KUCHING:  Sarawak Women and Family Council (MWKS) paid a courtesy call on Sarawak Energy Berhad and Sarawak Energy Leading Women Network (SELWN) at its headquarters in The Isthmus, Bako here on Wednesday. Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah led the delegation. The objective was to recognise and congratulate Sarawak Energy and SELWN’s exemplary effort to increase the percentage of women leadership in their organisation. According to Fatimah, that was in line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 on gender equality and women empowerment, as well as Sarawak Energy’s talent management excellence key focus area. Sarawak Energy’s leadership, she added, recognised the importance of inclusiveness as well as the diverse views and talents of women in the organisation. Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer (CEO) Sharbini Suhaili, Sesco CEO Lau Kim Swee, Sarawak Energy vice president for Distribution and head of SELWN Aisah Adenan, permanent secretary to the ministry and MKWS member Dr Saadiah Abdul Samat, Women and Family Department director Noriah Ahmad and various representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were also present.

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