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Timely reminder to oil palm planters in S&#39;wak SOPPOA <b>...</b> Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

Timely reminder to oil palm planters in S&#39;wak SOPPOA <b>...</b>

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:29 AM PST

KUCHING: The Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (SOPPOA) yesterday applaud the stance of the state and federal governments in reminding oil palm planters here not to hastily sign with companies that may jeopardise the industry.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu made the remarks at the recently concluded "Reach & Remind Friends" seminar organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council here Monday.

At the same event, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah also commented that the oil palm industry is a National Agenda for Malaysia as it is one of the main pillars of economic strength for the country.

"SOPPOA is most grateful for the support from the state and federal governments on the matter which can have disastrous effects on the growth and survival of the oil palm industry in the country, especially in Sarawak," said the spokesperson.

As mentioned by Jabu, more than 800,000 rural native communities are dependent on oil palm industry to lift them out of poverty which calls for developing peat, cleared forest and native rights lands in the state.

He also said that by boycotting fresh fruit bunches from peat areas in Sarawak is an inhumane act which goes against any policy for the wellbeing of people to elevate themselves from poverty, especially rural native communities.

Uggah assured the industry in Sarawak that the government will not abandon them as it is the government's agenda to develop the oil palm industry and will lend support by working closely with the industry in Sarawak to ensure that any threats will not destroy the industry here.

He also added that the government is always sourcing for new markets for Malaysian palm oil and for relevant authorities to check on whether the policy imposed by industry players contravenes any fair trade act.

He also made the call to further expedite downstream activities for the industry in Sarawak.

In Sarawak, it is the state government aim to continue developing the oil palm industry here and so any policy that seeks to curtail its growth through suppressive means will severely affect all sectors of the industry, from smallholders to plantations and also related industries like finance, transportation, services and building.

SOPPOA also calls for all oil palm growers in the state to stand united against any threat posed by industry players against the policy of the state and federal governments in further developing the oil palm industry in Malaysia.

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iM <b>Sarawak</b> brings clean water to four villages BorneoPost Online <b>...</b>

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 11:42 AM PST

by Joanna Yap, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 12, 2014, Wednesday

LUNDU: Over 800 residents of Kampung Tebaro, Kampung Jampari, Kampung Senibong and Kampung Perian are finally enjoying continuous clean water supply, all thanks to the 'iM Sarawak Clean Water Project'.

Upgrading works began in December last year, and took nearly two months to complete. Water from the new pipes started flowing out from the taps in early January.

Kampung Tebaro headman Lian Digai, 54, said the old PVC pipe channelling water to the village from a dam about 2km uphill had been in place since the 1980s and was susceptible to breakdown and leakage besides being unable to cope with the increased demand due to the growing population of residents.

"We feel very happy with the new system as it means we do not have to fear our taps running dry during peak hours or during the dry season," he told reporters yesterday.

"Before, we had to rely on the river and spare water tanks. Now we don't need to worry as the new polypipe supplies more than enough for our individual daily needs."

Agreeing with Lian, Kampung Senibong headman Maxwell Jelly Mounsey said ever since the dam was raised, the water supply to his village had been greatly improved.

Acknowledging that the system was not 100 per cent perfect, Kampung Perian headman Anderu Simun said it was good enough for the time being but hoped that treated water supply would reach his village soon.

Kampung Tebaro and Kampung Jampari share the same water source, while Kampung Senibong and Kampung Perian share a common source.

Mas Gading MP Anthony Nogeh Gumbek, who assisted the villagers with their application for funds, said approximately RM100,000 was spent to upgrade the Kampung Tebaro-Kampung Jampari water supply while RM120,000 was spent on the water supply system for Kampung Senibong and Kampung Perian.

He told reporters that he had made it a priority for the villagers to have continuous clean water supply, in addition to getting better infrastructure and facilities such as roads and electricity supply.

During a simple ceremony yesterday to launch the new pipe system in Kampung Tebaro, Nogeh thanked the villagers for helping to realise the project through gotong-royong.

At the same time, he encouraged them to keep up the good work by ensuring that the dams, storage tanks and pipes were regularly maintained.

"I believe that this current set-up can last 20 years, but I hope that by then, the piped water supply would be brought in," he said.

Later, Nogeh together with Opar assemblyman Ranum Mina and 1Malaysia Sarawak Advisory Council (1MSAC) members Datuk Billy Abit Joo and Ir Irwan Zulkarnain Muhammad Hasbie as well as village headmen, representatives of government agencies and villagers visited the water storage site for Kampung Tebaro and Kampung Jampari.

After that, Nogeh made a brief stop at Kampung Senibong to meet community leaders and villagers from Kampung Senibong and Kampung Perian.

The upgrading works for Kampung Tebaro-Kampung Jampari involved replacing the old PVC pipes with approximately 4.5km of polypipes. For Kampung Senibong-Kampung Perian, upgrading works included enlarging one of the existing dams, building two new water storage tanks and replacing 3.5km of PVC pipes with poly pipe.

According to a media factsheet distributed during the visit, iM Sarawak is a social development initiative led by 1Malaysia Sarawak Advisory Council (1MSAC) to help improve the quality of life of various communities in rural and remote areas of the state.

iM Sarawak projects are carried out by Rakyat 1Malaysia and Yayasan 1Malaysia Development Berhad in partnership with Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd, various state agencies and local entities.

Meanwhile, Nogeh who is also 1MSAC member told reporters that construction of a new CIQ at Serikin could begin next year under the fourth rolling plan of the Tenth Malaysia Plan.

Nogeh also announced a RM10,000 grant to improve Kampung Tebaro's community hall as well as RM15,000 for Kampung Senibong's community hall.

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Vehicle thefts in <b>Sarawak</b> cause for concern - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 11:17 AM PST

Posted on February 11, 2014, Tuesday

KUCHING: Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday he was satisfied with the level of security in Sarawak, but acknowledged that the rise in vehicle thefts in the state was a cause for concern.

He said that overall the crime rate in the state had declined by more than the national target due to the hard work put in by the police officers and personnel with the cooperation of the people.

"The crime index or organised crime in the state has declined. Unfortunately, vehicles thefts involving cars and motorcycles have risen up to 130 per cent," he told a news conference here. — Bernama

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Ample opportunities for mobile learning in <b>Sarawak</b> BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 03:05 PM PST

KUCHING: Qooco, a mobile learning technology company focused spoken on Mandarin and English learning and assessment, sees ample opportunities for mobile learning in Sarawak, particularly because smartphone penetration throughout Malaysia is expected to continue climbing while outbound Chinese travelers are projected to rise from last year's 100 million to over 200 million by 2020.

The company, which aims to change the way people learn languages by making it more convenient, enjoyable, and effective, said that with a high smartphone penetration rate, and a progressive and innovative education system, mobile learning in Malaysia is catching on among educators and users alike.

In an email interview with The Borneo Post, David Topolewski, chief executive officer (CEO) of Qooco, said, "Educators and students are beginning to realise that traditional methods of rote learning are inefficient, particularly for language learning.

"Technological and pedagogical advancements achieved by mobile learning providers such as Qooco offer the potential to revolutionise language learning."

On the market, he said, smartphone penetration throughout Malaysia is expected to continue climbing, and private telecoms companies are expanding their offerings in Sarawak.

In addition, he pointed out, "Being somewhat isolated from Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak has less access to educational resources and international educators.

He added, "With the dramatic rise of outbound Chinese travelers, projected to rise from last year's 100 million to over 200 million by 2020, there is no question there will be far more visitors from China to Sarawak and the rest of Malaysia.

"If retailers and hoteliers want to have strong business relations with the largest group of travelers in the world, they need to be able to communicate in Mandarin."

Topolewski, who is Qooco's CEO since its creation in 2010, in Beijing China, also outlined that while Malaysia is a country of many cultures, ethnicities and languages which gives it a unique vibrancy and dynamism, its diversity can affect the quality of spoken Mandarin.

"The reasons for this are various, it is possible that the presence of so many Chinese dialects (Hokkien, Hakka, Cantonese etc) affects fluency, the way languages are taught and learnt also plays a role.

"One observation I have made surrounding language learning in Asia is that, while the traditional once-a-week classroom language course provides a good foundation of grammar for learners, students were spending too much time learning by rote.

"This offers little help in learning to speak the language, where frequency of practice and timely feedback are key."

He noted that Mandarin is becoming increasingly important for Malaysian businesses, especially those in the hospitality and services industry.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has placed China top in international tourism spending in 2012, spending a sizeable US$102 billion, up 40 per cent from 2011 and is expected to rise further.

For a hotel, speaking the same language as their guests is crucial to creating deeper connections with this group of guests, increasing loyalty and the bottom line.

In addition, with this year being Visit Malaysia Year 2014, it becomes even more imperative for locals to expand and enrich their language skills.

The demand for alternative language skills is there, Topolewski said, however, finding a cost-effective solution to train employees' language skills is a challenge.

"Mobile learning solution providers such as Qooco remove the need for costly classroom training, tuition fees and scheduling issues. The great thing is, staff can learn – and practice – Mandarin in their own time, quickly resulting in better service levels and business outcomes."

On Malaysia's front, he said, more research is being done into mobile learning with the creation of the Mobile Learning Association of Malaysia (MLAM) in 2011 and the first International Conference on Mobile Learning, Application and Services in 2012.

"Educational institutions have started offering their own m-learning solutions, Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) University Pocket Education (UniPE) provides learning support materials through mobile phone technology.

"In a survey conducted among students between 2008 and 2013, 76 per cent of students with smartphones used them for learning activities (from sending e-mails to lecturers to taking pictures for classes) which suggests an established mobile learning trend in Malaysia. Within two years, it is estimated that almost 60 per cent of Malaysians will own a smartphone.

"In East Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has a dedicated department committed to the development of ICT within their curriculum (the Centre for Applied Learning and Multimedia (CALM)), which includes improving e-learning.

"Last year, the Deputy Prime Minister for Malaysia included the enhancement of internet access and virtual learning environment as one of the main thrusts for the Education Transformation Plan for Sabah and Sarawak," he explained.

With an increasingly connected population and a supportive government and educational ecosystem, mobile learning is set to further develop. Students are able to learn and practice anytime, anywhere – perfect for Malaysians' busy lifestyles, Topolewski said.

To note, Topolewski is responsible for managing Qooco's relationships with Samsung, Lenovo, NTT DoCoMo, StarHub, SoftBank, and Microsoft. He spent several years with the Qooco team developing the research-based pedagogies to deliver strong learning outcomes for students using education technologies.

In addition to directing technology and business development at Qooco, Topolewski engages in strategic planning and works alongside social businesses to reach students in communities across Asia.

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Anglican Church commends Taib for &#39;Allah&#39; stand BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 11:43 AM PST

KUCHING: The Anglican Church has commended Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud for his "bold and unambiguous stand" on the 'Allah' controversy.

Archbishop of the Anglican Province of South East Asia the Most Reverend Datuk Bolly Lapok said he hoped that the state and Church would continue to enjoy the same partnership under the new chief minister.

"We hope that under his successor, our much vaunted inclusiveness is maintained, and that the state and the Church would continue to enjoy a partnership that is truly cordial and creative," he said in a statement yesterday.

Bolly added that Sarawak thrives on its distinct inclusiveness.

He pointed out that Taib's immediate predecessor Tun Abdul Rahman Ya'kub had said that Sarawak's strength lies in the intricate combination of the Malay's keen political prowess, the Chinese business acumen and industry, and the Dayak's loyalty and exceptional bravery in her defence.

"Intense speculation has reduced the number of eligible candidates but as yet even at this eleventh hour there seems to be no consensus as to who should succeed Taib," Bolly said.

"This is to be expected if the contest is indeed between 'siblings', and for one who is identified more with Sarawak's distinct inclusiveness."

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Umno stays out of state - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 11:03 AM PST

Shafie Apdal says party not behind Taib's retirement, will not spread wings to Sarawak

KAPIT: It is mere assumption and a bad intention to claim that Umno will spread its wings to Sarawak after the retirement of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said yesterday that Umno did not engineer Taib's retirement so that the party could enter the state.

Speaking to the media after inspecting the construction work on the second phase of the Kapit/Song/Kanowit Road project here, he said it was the opposition's assumption that Taib was forced to retire.

"Umno's stand is consistent. We will not spread our wings to Sarawak as we do not want to disunite the people.

"The situation in Sarawak is completely different from Sabah when Umno entered it. Sarawak has a very stable state government, so why should we interfere? We only enter into a system when there is the need for us to do so."

Shafie said what was of paramount importance was continuation of the state's development and progress.

On Taib's desire to step down after helming the state for 33 years as its chief minister, Shafie who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said his decision should be respected.

"He had in fact stated his desire to step down on a number of occasions but was waiting for the right time. After discussing the matter with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, he believes now is the right time for him to do so.

"We really appreciate his efforts in turning Sarawak into one of the most developed and progressive states in the country. This is something not easy to accomplish," he said.

Shafie said it was important too that the power transition proceeded smoothly.

"Whoever replaces him should not be seen purely from his personality butthat he can further enhance Taib's sterling efforts for Sarawak.

"In BN, the transition of power has always been smooth with no conflict. We don't quarrel like the opposition in Selangor where they even go to the extent of wanting to call for a fresh by-election, which is a sheer waste of public funds," he said.

Shafie said the federal government deeply appreciated Taib's many contributions not only to the state but to the federal government as well which he had also served.

Shafie's assurance should also allay fears among Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leaders and members that Umno would try to spread its influence to Sarawak after Taib stepped down.

Expressing that fear yesterday Sarawak Barisan Nasional secretary Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi said that PBB would continue to play its role in protecting the rights and interests of Bumiputeras in the state.

"The role of PBB in Sarawak is the same as Umno's role in the peninsula, hence there is no need for Umno to spread its wings here.

"The Bumiputeras in Sarawak are from more than 30 ethnic groups, so the situation here is different from that in the peninsula.

"Only Sarawakians themselves can understand the situation in their own state and therefore, only local political parties should helm the state with just and fair policies to preserve the long-standing harmony among the various ethnic communities," he said.

He, however, added that Sarawak's loyalty to the federation of Malaysia could not be disputed.

Rundi's views were echoed by former PBB information deputy chief Datuk Peter Minos, who also said that a strong and united PBB did not require the coming of Umno or any other political party to the state to protect the interests of its Bumiputeras. – Bernama

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