Going old-school- Life on sketchpads BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » thesundaypost - New 2 Borneo |
- Going old-school- Life on sketchpads
- Conserving denizens of the deep
- Miri boasts exotic native cuisine
- Wong ready for first 100 days report card
- Birding in Skuduk and Chupak
- Versatile craft machine for all ages
| Going old-school- Life on sketchpads Posted: 17 May 2014 12:38 PM PDT by Joanna Yap, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 18, 2014, Sunday VISITORS passing by the old State Legislative Building (DUN) on May 4 between 9am and 10am must have felt rather perplexed to see a small group of people sitting quietly on the ground, scattered on the bare sidewalk and a small section of the well-kept grass lawn in front of the building. After all, who, in their right mind in Malaysia, would sit voluntarily outdoors under the hot sun for long periods. What more, on a Sunday morning – that universal day of post-weekend partying recovery! Yet, more than a dozen members of Urban Sketchers Kuching (USk Kch) did not think twice about braving the escalating heat of the morning sun to capture the stately glory of one of Sarawak's most well-known architectural landmarks on paper during their monthly Sketchcrawl. Yes, you read that right – on paper. In this day and age when digital cameras and smartphones are increasingly affordable – thanks to technological advances and mass production – more and more people are arming themselves with these high-tech devices to take instant digital photos of anything and everything that catches their attention. The millions of photos uploaded online on social network and photo-sharing sites everyday are testament of how consumers have embraced the instant gratification of being able to take and share photos of people, events and experiences in real time. On the flipside, it has become a growing rarity to encounter individuals who feel just as comfortable with a sketchpad and various drawing utensils to visually reproduce and share what they see – a so-called low-tech approach which seems slow and tedious in comparison with its faster, sleeker cousin. So why bother sketching when it's more convenient just to whip out a camera and click away? Different view Sketching has a number of advantages, not least of which is that it makes the artist take notice of details they might otherwise have missed if they were merely taking a photo, according to Peggy Wong, one of the three founding members of USk Kch. The other two are architecture university student Azy Yanti and award winning designer and architect Wee Hii Min. Peggy is also an architect by profession but emphasised that sketching is a very accessible hobby that anyone can take up, regardless of whether they studied art or not. "Sketching can be done anytime, anywhere, by anyone. All you need is something to draw on and something to draw with," she said, quashing the perception that sketching is only for the artistically talented. USk Kch was set up in September 2012 as the local chapter of Urban Sketchers (USk). Founded by journalist and illustrator Gabriel Campanario, USk (www.urbansketchers.org) is an online community and non-profit organisation with chapters and members worldwide. USk describes itself as dedicated to raising the artistic, storytelling and educational value of location drawing, promoting its practice and connecting people around the world who draw on location where they live and travel. USk Kch welcomes people to join as long as they agree with and follow the Urban Sketchers' manifesto of sketching what they see on location at that point in time. The subject matter is left up to the individual – buildings, objects, animals, people, landscapes, plants and flowers. "It's always interesting to see what other people come up with as everyone has a personal style. Each person sees things differently because certain elements will attract their attention more. Thus, every sketch is unique. "There is no right or wrong style – just how you see the world and how you tell the story. Everyone sees interesting things in different ways," Peggy said, explaining that a sketch can reveal just as much about the artist as it does about the scene, person or object the artist is drawing. The DUN Sketchcrawl is just one of many outings to various places of interest which USk Kch members have organized so far this year. "We've been to a few places already, including Siniawan. We have our monthly official outings and ad-hoc outings as and when, but we'll publish it to members via our Facebook group as it is the easiest way to reach ppl these days," Peggy shared. For many individuals, sketching is mostly a solitary pursuit, so sketchcrawls or sketchwalks can be a great way to meet other like-minded people as well as introduce new locations and interesting subjects. "Sketching takes on a different energy and dynamic in a group setting. For one, it helps to motivate as well as get the creative juices flowing as one can see what other people's drawings and personal styles are like," Peggy pointed out. Among the participants in the recent sketchwalk was professional artist Yeo Suh Chan, 50. Undeterred by the heat, she took less than an hour to produce a beautifully detailed pen drawing of the DUN on her sketchpad. "It makes me feel good to sketch nice things. I feel happy as I like to draw," she told thesundaypost via sign-language, with Peggy acting as the interpreter. Like Yeo, many of the urban sketchers on the DUN Sketchwalk opted to sketch with ink as their medium of expression but in fact, there are very few restrictions on what drawing instruments an individual can use. They run the gamut from the usual mediums such as colour pencils, pencils, markers, and watercolours to the less conventional like coffee stains and ink blots. It is also common to mix up various mediums depending on the final effect the artist is aiming for. The proliferation of smartphones, tablets and sketching apps also meant sketching had also gone digital, Peggy pointed out. "The only conditions are that they must start with a blank page – no tracing, no copying – and done on-site," she said. Personal style and pace Joining groups like USk is a good way for beginners to improve their sketchings, according to 22-year-old multi-media design student Ooi Jiunn Jye. Ooi from Johor first got interested in sketching two years ago – thanks to his university coursemate 22-year old Yon Man Man. He still remembers feeling nervous and apprehensive about sharing his drawings with other people when he first started, but it has become a hobby he draws a lot of enjoyment from. "It did feel a bit intimidating at first as I was not really good in drawing and I had a lot of things to improve on. But now I feel I have gotten better. People don't criticise. "Sketching is not like design and art as you can just draw without worrying about what people are going to say, so there is less pressure (to be perfect). I really enoy it," he explained. Man Man, who has been sketching as a hobby since she was in school, sketches anywhere whenever she has the time. "I sketch about my life – where I go and what I eat. I find it lets me know and enjoy the details more closely. When you're taking photos, you lose that aspect," she shared. For both Ooi and Man Man who have visited various locations in and around Kuching on personal as well as USk Kch sketchwalks, sketch books can also serve as visual diaries and scrapbooks. Mementos such as entry tickets, wrappers and receipts are often glued or taped to various pages to add to the memory of the experience. "When we go travelling, we can also use different sketchbooks for different locations. Whenever we want to remember what we did or where we went in a particular country, we can just take out our books and relive the memories through our drawings," Man Man said. Whenever possible, they would also try to meet up with members of USk chapters of the various places they were visiting and join in their activities, added Man Man, who is also a member of USk Penang. Ooi encouraged newcomers and burgeoning sketchers to not be afraid to share their works with others. "A lot of people are shy because they think their works are not good enough. Don't judge yourself – be brave to share," Ooi said. Peggy agrees. "That's why a lot of urban sketchers share their works online via blogs, Flickr, Facebook, Instagram and other social media. "Sometimes, we get people coming on sketchwalks who are afraid to show what they have drawn. However, the purpose is not to compare but share people's individual styles and see what elements you would like to incorporate into your own. "For example, one person's style may be very detailed but they admire others with the ability to sketch a whole picture with just a few lines. "Be open to feedback on how you can improve, but at the same time, always remember that you have your own style and be open to sharing it with others," she said. USk Kch's next Sketchcrawl will be on the first Sunday of June. To find out more about the group, search for Urban Sketchers Kuching on Facebook or visit their blog at http://urbansketchers-kuching.blogspot.com.   |
| Conserving denizens of the deep Posted: 17 May 2014 12:36 PM PDT by Rintos Mail, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 18, 2014, Sunday SARAWAK boasts some of the most biologically diverse coastal and sea eco-systems in the world. The largest state in Malaysia, it has a coastline stretching some 1,035km along the northwest coast of Borneo. Sarawak's seas and coasts encompass a variety of habitat types, from silt-dominated benthic environments to large areas of coral reefs patches. These habitats vary from inshore to offshore and from southwest to northeast. Of these, mangroves, sea grass and coral reefs are the most important marine ecosystems because they provide feeding, breeding and nursery grounds for marine fishes, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates. Marine life also play their significant ecological roles in the marine ecosystems. The state's coasts and seas are also home to whales, dolphins, sea turtles and other marine flora and fauna but yet, some of the areas are almost entirely unprotected, except for small areas around the national parks. Aside from that, Sarawak waters are also inhabited by critically endangered painted terrapins and other endangered marine creatures such as the four species of marine turtles, 15 species of marine mammals, sea horses and whale sharks. Like anywhere else, commercial fishing techniques are wreaking havoc on the state's delicate and biologically diverse area and its marine inhabitants, and if urgent and drastic actions are not taken immediately, the state will lose this treasure forever. To protect Sarawak's seas and coasts, some portions have to be left alone. That's where marine reserves come into the picture. A marine reserve is like putting a giant Do Not Disturb sign around an area of the seas and coasts. These protected areas are very important to the future of our seas and coasts — giving wildlife a safe haven. Many countries and organisations have been working on marine conservation. And in an effort to protect some of its endangered marine species, the state government implemented the Wild Life Protection Ordinance in 1998. The Ordinance stated that all species of marine turtles, marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises and dugongs) and painted terrapins are listed as totally protected animals while corals (soft and hard corals) and other species listed in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) appendices are protected. The state government is also committed to ensuring that some of its marine biodiversity is maintained in a healthy state, and an important tool for this is marine parks. To ensure the protection and conservation of marine ecosystems and that no species are ever left behind, Sarawak has implemented a broad programme for marine biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. This is done through the establishment of the State's Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) system. To date, over 200,000 ha of water bodies have been gazetted as marine parks — Miri Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park (186,930 ha) and Talang Satang National Park (19,414 ha). The terrestrial National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries boundaries are also extended to waters bodies to protect and conserve marine eco-systems and marine endangered species. This involves the Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary for conservation of mangroves and painted terrapin; Tanjung Datu National Park for marine turtles and coral reefs; Similajau National Park for mangroves and marine turtles; Kuching Wetland National Park for mangroves and Irrawaddy dolphins; Rajang Mangrove National Park for mangroves and Irrawaddy dolphins; Tukong Ara-Banun Wildife Sanctuary for breeding ground for migratory birds and Sibuti Wild Life Sanctuary for Important Bird Area (IBA). To be on par with the rest of the world in biodiversity conservation, Sarawak has been actively supporting the nation in implementing multi-lateral environmental agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) and CITES. The state, through Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), is also collaborating with internationally renowned organisations in marine ecosystem conservation such as the UN Environment Programme/Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS). The MoU on the Conservation and Management of Dugong and their Habitats throughout their Region had been signed between UNEP/CMS and SFC. Sarawak's most notable marine conservation project, however, is in Talang-Satang, the state's first marine national park, established to primarily conserve Sarawak's marine turtle population. The park, managed by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), comprises the coastline and seas surrounding four islands of the southwest coast of Sarawak — Pulau Talang Besar (greater Talang Island) and Pulau Talang Kecil (lesser Talang Island) off Sematan and Pulau Satang Besar (greater Satang Island) and Pulau Satang Kecil (lesser Satang Island) off Santubong near Kuching. These four Turtle Islands are responsible for 95 per cent of all the turtle landings in Sarawak. The park also includes the Pulau Tukong Ara-Banun Wildlife Sanctuary, two tiny islets which are important nesting sites for colonies of Bridled Terns and Black-Naped Terns. Talang-Satang National Park covers a total area of about 19,400 hectares (19.4 sq km), comprising all lands below the high tide marks on the respective islands, and the surrounding seas for a radius of 4.8km from the highest point on each island. Beautiful shallow reef areas surround all the four islands. The reefs generally consist of several species of hard coral and colonies of soft coral. They provide shelter and resting grounds for sea turtles, and are also important fish breeding areas. Sea turtles conservation in Sarawak began in the 1950's. Sea turtles are among the world's longest-lived creatures, with many reaching a lifespan of over 100 years. Graceful swimmers that spend most of their time underwater, they have survived almost unchanged since the Triassic period, some 200 million years ago. However, the breeding habits that have served them so well for so long are now contributing to their extinction. Sea turtles mature slowly, only starting to breed between 15 and 50 years of age (Balaz, 1982; Bjorndal and Zug, 1995). Once they start breeding, females usually produce eggs once every four or five years. SFC said five marine turtle species are known to nest in Sarawak with the peak turtle nesting season running from April until September. By far the most important is the Green Turtle (chelonia mydas), which represents 90 per cent of all turtle landings, mainly on the islands of Talang-Satang national park. The other species that occasionally lands on the islands is the Hawksbill Turtle (eretmochelys imbricata), while the Olive Ridley, Leatherback and Loggerhead Turtles nest primarily on the mainland. All of these species are critically endangered worldwide. Because of the threat to marine turtles, SFC has launched a conservation programme on Talang-Satang's three larger islands, and also on Tanjung Datu and Similajau National Parks on the Sarawak mainland. Eggs are either removed from nests and placed in guarded hatcheries — or left in place and guarded round the clock by Sarawak Forestry wardens. After 40 to 60 days incubation, young hatchlings are released at night to reduce losses from predators. In addition, some hatchlings are tagged with miniaturised radio tracking devices to learn more about their ecology and life cycle. The programme appears to be working well, as the number of landings has stabilised at between 1,500 and 3,000 per year over a 10-year period, after sinking to an all time low of under 1,000 in the early 1980s. SFC also allows the public to actively participate in the Sea Turtle Adoption Programme at the turtle conservation station in Pulau Talang-Talang Besar. This programme aims to create awareness among the public of the importance of sea turtles conservation and at the same time encourage knowledge sharing on this noble conservation effort. The successful reef-ball programme is also believed to have increased turtle landings in the state's beaches. SFC deputy general manager (protected areas and biodiversity conservation) Oswald Braken Tisen said the main target of implementing the reef ball project in Sarawak is marine turtle protection. He, however, said reef balls were also designed for marine life enhancement as they encouraged the growth of coral reef and served as refuge, nursery and breeding ground for fish. "Before implementation of this project, 70-100 adult turtles were found dead along the coast of Sarawak (particularly around Sematan and Telaga Air) annually. "After implementation, the number of annual deaths had decreased to about 20. "The annual marine fish landing in Sematan and Santubong District were also higher since then," he said. Braken explained reef balls discouraged illegal trawling activities in the areas that they were placed by destroying fishing nets while at the same time encouraging, protecting, conserving and enhancing marine ecosystem and biodiversity from anthropogenic threats. Braken said a project that aimed to conserve, protect, regenerate and enhance marine biodiversity, especially coral reefs, by placing reef balls in the waters of Similajau National Park, had also been launched last year. Known as the BEACON Project, it's a signature environmental sustainability development programme by Malaysia Liquefied Natural Gas (MLNG) and SFC. The project also provides resources for conservation management, including comprehensive marine and coastal studies at Similajau National Park. The BEACON Project is divided into two components — the Reef Balls Project and Conservation, Education, Promotion and Awareness (CEPA) – Endangered Marine Life Exploration, Conservation and Management Activities. Under the BEACON project, SFC and MLNG have conducted marine mammals' aerial survey and boat survey. |
| Miri boasts exotic native cuisine Posted: 17 May 2014 12:34 PM PDT by Chang Yi. Posted on May 18, 2014, Sunday VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2014 is a national multi-million ringgit campaign to woo foreign tourists from near and far to our exotic, culturally rich and beautiful shore. Tourism is one of the nation's best industries.With several thousand visitors expected in Miri and also onward to Mulu this year, perhaps it's time to ponder on Sarawak native cuisine, particularly in Miri. Magdalene Kong, a frequent west Malaysian visitor to Miri, is happy to note there are now more locally-operated eateries. "I normally come to Miri to enjoy food like midin cooked with belacan, a good fish like tapah braised in soy sauce and brown beans, seafood and perhaps some authentic native dishes. "I have eaten some fantastic food cooked in bamboo while visiting longhouses during my two Gawai trips. They were fabulous," she said. She thoroughly enjoyed her back-packing journeys into the interior where she ate organic ferns and rare fruits. This satiated her thirst for knowledge "never before known to the outside world" – like unknown foods of the equatorial rainforest. She is particularly excited about glutinous rice cooked in pitcher plants which she even packed to take home when she last in Sirikin. Some travellers have blogged about their journeys in Sarawak and, indeed, exhorted the special delicacies of the jungle like rare mushrooms, fungi, honey and fish. Questions have arisen even among Sarawakians who have not tasted fish like empurau, semah, tapah or birds like wild Sarawak chicken or pheasants. And Sarawakian urbanites have also asked: "What are the indigenous staple dishes? Do the natives eat a lot of chillies? How are vegetables cooked in the interior? Can native dishes be found in hotels and restaurants?" In Sarawak, we use the terms native, indigenous and ethnic rather loosely. Native and indigenous would be closer in meaning. The two words refer to those originating from Sarawak. Ethnic would mean sub-tribe or sub-group based on culture, language and other anthropological identities. First, we need to identify some essential staple foods of Sarawak natives like the Ibans and Orang Ulus. These would be maize, upland rice, pumpkins and yams planted interdependently. Maize is grown almost at the same time as padi while pumpkins around the tilled rice and maize fields. Yams are also grown on the peripherals of padi farms. The natives fish in all the rivers and their tributaries. Semah, ikan keli, baong, empuarah, prawns, river turtles are what they can catch. The jungles yield mushrooms, fruits, meat from deer, wild boars and even bears. Birds can be shot with blowpipes. Guns are not often used because cartridges are beyond the means of many indigenous people. Originally, the natives were food foragers. Today, many exotic and even native wild fruits are still available. The more common ones are durians, dabai, langsat, rambai, engkili, buah ma, rambutans, isu, lutong, pinang, engkala, pedada, meram (asam paya), illipenut or engkabang and pulor. Many natives still enjoy going into the jungle during the holidays or fruiting season to forage for these fruits which are all part of their diet. There are many more rare and exotic wild fruits like the angled tampoi or the equatorial figs. The list is really long. When foraging for food – both fruits and meat – in the forests since moving to Ulu Limbang in the 1920's, the late Jiram Pengiran (who lived up to 93) would look for empidan (now listed as an endangered species) and a certain type of tree ants among other wild vegetables and fruits. He used to say to his children and grandchildren: "Empidan is the best jungle chicken one can get. There were plenty in the 1930's." He caught three or four a few years ago and encouraged his grandson Sebastian Kudi to breed the jungle fowl. It was a successful effort. All Iban elders had also eaten different kinds of ants in the past. Today, deep fried ants are tourist fare in Cambodia and China. Punai is another small bird the natives of Sarawak catch with sticky nets, and eat after roasting them over a small charcoal fire. Deep fried punai is often available as part of lelapan (halal) in Miri, costing RM6 each. A friend in Kanowit said one day he would like to export authentic Sarawak's kFC (with a small k) which is Kanowit Fried Chicken. This chicken is punai which can be very destructive to a farmer's rice harvest. Wild vegetables are found up the hills and down the valleys, and some even by the riverbanks picked out by ancestors of the natives. Palms like pantu, nipah, nibong, coconut and sago continue to be important umbut or upah or shoots the indigenous people retain as delicacies. Thus, from the land, sea and skies, they bring food to their tables – or mats if they are more accustomed to sitting and dining on their floor. In the world of food, Sarawak native cuisine has been relatively unknown. But lots of signature native cuisine such as pansuh and umai, appear more and more to the forefront – thanks to the Internet, promotions by the government, social organisations and others. Sarawak native food, according to Robert Entalai, is simple in technique. "My people use mostly fresh ingredients from the lush jungle or their small farms. The use of indigenous domesticated and wild food ingredients can represent Sarawak native food and cuisine. "I remember how my mother would cook a wild vegetable sweetened by the flowers of pumpkins or a few leaves from shrubs which, when cooked together with wild mushrooms, became soft and tender and of course delicious," he said. "Our native cuisine differs somewhat from Malay or Thai cuisine in its simplicity and directness of flavor. The use of wild ginger, daun bungkang and jungle leaves can bring subtle flavours to various dishes. "For example, we use torch ginger and tepus to flavour our fish and wild meat. These wild gingers can change the flavours of our soups. Food cooked in bamboo stems, or pansuh, for example, have special flavours and tastes. Thus, glutinous rice cooked in bamboo, called lemang, is a special treat for festivals." Caleena Pasang of the Canopy Café, Miri, and her colleagues prepare nuba laya or soft rice wrapped in daun long. According to her, this much sought after soft rice, goes well with bamboo shoots cooked with local pork, and wild vegetables. Both the indigenous and non-indigenous customers of the Café come as early as 11 o'clock in the morning to enjoy more than eight indigenous dishes offered. Canopy Café opens six days a week (except Sundays) and serves only breakfast and lunch. The Summit Café is another indigenous outlet serving food for the lunch crowd. The tables are usually snapped up by noon. The crowd would not cease coming until 2 pm. Food is served economy-fast-food style and the queue can be long. However, that's the best way to ensure you can get your choice dishes of stir fried ferns, boiled salted fish with lemon grass, boiled salted belly pork, oil palm shoot boiled with chicken and tapioca leaves cooked with torch ginger. A few Chinese open market stalls employing Iban and other native cooks, also offer a few dishes from their kampung repertoire. At the Miri Central Open Market, one stall proves very popular with customers. The cook is an Iban from Ulu Bintulu. Most customers come for two special dishes – pig's stomach cooked with pineapple and pig's blood with kuchai or chives and lots of onions. The MJ BBQ stall next to the Mederka Mall also proves ever popular with the dinner crowd. The best seller is the Iban-style BBQ meat divided into three categories – organ meat like stomach, lean pork and belly pork. There are also vegetables like wild mushrooms, fungi and organic bamboo shoots, wild ferns and home-grown veges. One of the best things about eating at MJ BBQ is the almost instant service. Within five minutes, customers are served with the first bbq meat dish. They select their own cuts. The sambal prepared by the staff is truly "heat-generating." One of the best indigenous soups is the hairy fern soup cooked with ikan bilis and lots of ginger. It's probably the tastiest and freshest organic soup one can get on Borneo Island. In Iban, it's called sup paku kubok. Alice Daring, a beader from the Miri Heritage Centre, said: "A cook book featuring some of the renowned indigenous dishes would really be helpful. "It would encourage the new generation of Sarawakians to venture further outside their own culture. I know many ingredients may not be readily available in town but some adjustments can be made to bring out our old styled tastes and flavours. And if possible, a monthly public cooking demonstration in Miri on Indigenous Food would really be a crowd puller." Kim, a college lecturer, added: "Due to the new development and modern changing environment, some of the old traditional foods along with an age-old technique is also almost forgotten. "What my grandmother used to cook in the kampung tasted wonderful. Our rice seemed sweeter 20 years ago. Even the fish cooked in bamboo in those days seemed better. "Today, we have to use ikan keli or pond-reared fish for our pansuh or bamboo cooking. "My grandmother used jungle leaves to flavour her cooking. And I must be one of the few Iban women who do not use artificial seasoning. I prefer daun bungkang or some other dried fish or meat for flavouring." She hopes sustainable farming in Sarawak will bring back the deer, bats, wild pigs, wild fish and even the tasty jungle vegetables. This will help support the growing population with a better and healthier diet. She is, now, saddened many rural people are suffering from diabetes, joint pains and other modern ailments ever since the introduction of sugar, artificial flavouring, and even cooking oil. She remembers her healthy elders and their "natural" diet which was almost oil-less. Deep fat frying was not part of the longhouse food preparation many years ago. May be this could be what universities in Malaysia should be researching about! Desserts like lumpi, bubur kapu (an Iban rice flour chendol), penyaram, kuih jala, and others have already been served during food festivals throughout Malaysia. The quality and style of presentations have been improved over the years to a very high standard. These desserts from the ulu are very tasty and memorable and slowly appearing at several eateries in Miri. Hopefully, more Sarawakians will start documenting the ethnic recipes to make Sarawak indigenous food better known. Indigenous herbs, jungle edible shrubs, flowers and roots can really be re-introduced to the world. Such books can help give Malaysians and the world a better understanding of Sarawak natives – gastronomically speaking. |
| Wong ready for first 100 days report card Posted: 17 May 2014 12:32 PM PDT by Raymond Tan, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 18, 2014, Sunday THE first hundred days for Dato Andrew Wong Kee Yew as deputy chairman of Sibu Municipal Council have been both challenging and motivational as the young councillor took a series of bold steps to lift the living standards of the townsfolk. He has vowed to carry on with his People First Initiative in implementing policies and projects based on priority, merits and fairness to all. Under chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King's supervision and his team, he has gone down to the community, mingling with hawkers to improve petty trading, spurring the youths to rise in community building and checking public toilets and garbages to raise Sibu's standard of public hygiene. Wong, who is just 38, said as promised earlier, he is now willing to be judged on the performance of his first 100 days as the SMC No. 2. Having fulfilled a long list of commitents in that time, he said he is also willing to be judged again after the next 100 days — and in a year's time. In his office last week, Wong laid out his charts for progress on his table, saying he had called in designers and professionals to plan with the council. "Some plans are still on the drawing board. Within the next few years, we hope to rebrand and relaunch Sibu — with its diverse cultures — on a larger tourism plane. The council is committed to do this with the backing of the state government and the community," he told thesundaypost. Wong was sworn in on January 28. Even before that, there were criticisms that his appointment smacked of conflict of interest because his father, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, is Local Government and Community Development Minister. Critics also claimed the younger Wong was inexperienced and there were other more seasoned leaders in the community who should have been appointed. This prompted Wong to appeal to his detractors and the townsfolk to give him time — say 100 or 200 days and even a year — to prove himself in the service of Sibu through the council. He said he was committed to the development of higher education in Sibu through the setting up of Laila Taib College, Sarawak Maritime College and University College of Technology Sarawak. "It's now time to move on to fulfill the other aspects of Sibu's progress through the council," he stressed. The young administrator said he was willing to take on these challenges. The first 100 days have arrived and in the interview last week, Wong listed 12 of his public service accomplishments — upgrading of refuse collection service; street sweeping; grass cutting; public toilets; Central Market food court; infrastructure surrounding commercial centres; Sibu Public Library; Sibu Bus Terminal parking bay; roads; Sungei Merah Pasar Tamu and refuse bin centres; improvement of hawker trading conditions and formation of Sibu Youth Council. "These are the major accomplishments. The minor ones are not listed because I see them as the duties of the council," he said. He thanked Datuk Tiong for his guidance, the councillors for their support and the council staff for their dedication. Wong believes in working with "total efficiency and fairness," saying light-heartedly that in dealing with the hawkers problems, he had been branded as Justice Bao — a legendary fearless judge of China's Song Dynasty, who was daring enough to even execute the son-in-law of the emperor in the name of justice. Wong tries to strike a happy medium — on the one hand, he could be strict in policy matters to ensure fairness to all while having a heart for the people's problems on the other. Not all 100 days were smooth sailing. On several occasions, he was condemned by the opposition such as when he dealt with the licensing conditions of hawkers. But he has decided not to answer these criticisms, clarifying: "I'm not a politician. I don't want to deal with political issues." He pointed out that he would deal with issues brought up by the opposition leaders that were related to council service. "Dudong assemblyman Yap Hoi Liong once called on me with a letter enquiring on our services. I replied him promptly. "I believe as the people's representatives, some of the opposition leaders can also help the council serve more efficiently by bringing the voice and suggestions of the people to us." Wong said in the past 100 days, he had interacted well with the townsfolk, and the telephone in his office had been ringing off the hook. "I even received calls at 9pm. I appreciate this interaction because the requests for service and the suggestions for improvements from the public were mostly genuine." Of the 12 accomplishments, he said the most satisfying was the formation of Sibu Youth Council. "This is something new. The youths can support the council and help us see our service from their perspective." He added that the Sibu Youth Council was already teaming up for the upcoming Borneo Cultural Festival and would set up a Youth Pavillion to promote cultural and social interaction among young people. Wong is optimistic about the future of Sibu. "Sibu has a diverse lifestyle and culture. We will highlight this to promote tourism. I'm already looking into this, and for future plans, I will seek approval in the council." He hopes to continue getting support from the NGOs by working out smart partnerships with them. "I expect there will be commitment on some tourist promotion. In the meantime, let us continue with what we have initiated and done." The 12 accomplishments DATO Andrew Wong Kee Yew's 12 accomplishments during his first 100 days as SMC deputy president: 1. Improvement of garbage refuse collection, street sweeping and grass cutting by contractors to give the town a neat image. Wong said scavenging contracting services were unsatisfactory from Maludan Road to Taman Indah. The contractors were called in for a dialogue on February 8 and given 14 days to clean up the mess. The job done is satisfactory although there is room for improvement. 2. Upgrading of public toilets such as the ones at Central Market, Sibu Gateway, Kutian Garden, SEDC Food Court and others at public parks. The contractors were again given a two-week deadline. The job done is satisfactory. The council will repair the damaged pumps and other toilet facilities. Installation of extra tanks is being considered as insufficient waterflow has been a problem. 3. Implementing hawkers' trading conditions to boost the market and eatery image for visitors. Wong said some traders had been staying away from business, leaving sections of the market empty. This has created a negative tourist image. The council is watching this problem because places like the Central Market, night market and Muhibbah Food Court are hot tourism spots. The problem is so serious at Central Market that on any given day, over 100 traders are not doing business. The council now requires them to trade at least 25 days monthly. Forty-seven traders have been given show-cause letters on why their licences should not be revoked. 4. Formation of Sibu Youth Council to give young people a voice in Sibu Muncipal Council's policy making. 5. Upgrading and refurbishing of Central Market Food Court to boost Sibu tourist hot spot. Through Wong's efforts, the council has received a grant of RM450,000 from the state government. The face-lifting project was completed on April 30. The council will next refurbish the Food Court's facade and put in 296 sets of chairs and tables for the eatery on the first floor. 6. Traffic flow improvement. Heavy traffic jam at Channel Road and Oya Road in front of Sacred Heart School has been a headache. The council's survey showed illegal parking at Channel Road is the root cause. The council has moved in to compound the offenders, and a whopping 700-plus parking tickets were issued in April alone. The situation has improved. The compound fee has been increased from RM30 to RM100. To ease the jam at Oya Road, the council is working with Sacred Heart School. The process is on-going and an uphill task. Wong said the situation was aggravated by adults resorting to quadruple parking when picking up their children, leaving only one lane passable on both sides of the road. The problem is further aggravated by two traffic lights on both ends of the road. 7. The council is resurfacing roads in commercial centres, starting with the areas surrounding Delta Mall. A fund of RM2 million has been allocated by the state government. For sinking roads surrounding the commercial centres like the one at the bus terminal, the council is looking at a permanent solution. 8. Upgrading Sibu Public library. To promote reading among children and youths, the council will provide Wifi service, launch monthly activities and buy relevant books and references. Wong has sought donations amounting to RM80,000 from 20 private companies. 9. Upgrading of Sibu Bus Terminal parking bay at Pahlawan Road has been completed. An additional RM300,000 has been granted. This will be a short-term solution to the sinking land. The council will work for a long term solution. 10. Upgrading of roads. An additional RM2 million has been sourced from the state government. The council will raise the 1.2km long and 7.4metre wide Aman Road – at a cost of RM700,000. It will be completed by end of July. Other roads will be raised too. 11. Upgrading Sungei Merah Pasar Tamu at the request of the hawkers. The council has provided them with tables and canopies. The market ground has also been resurfaced. The traders are doing brisk business now. 12. Upgrading of refuse bin centres. These are stinky and messy. Wong has sourced for funding from a private company amounting to RM300,000 to upgrade these facilities. Among the bin centres to be upgraded are those near Wisma Sanyan and Sarawak House and commercial centres in Sungei Merah, Rejang Park and Pusat Pedada. About Andrew Wong Kee Yew He was sworn in as the deputy chairman of Sibu Municipal Council on January 28, 2014. He also serves as chairman of the council's Standing Committee of Petty Traders and Market. Before that, he was active in promoting higher education development of Sibu. A Masters of Economics graduate from the University of Western Australia, he helped the state government set up Sarawak Maritime College, University College of Technology, Sarawak and the development of Laila Taib College. He also played a key role in transforming Institute Executive Kuching to Executive College Kuching. For 15 years, he has devoted himself to the service of education since his return from Australia in 1998 at the age 21. He started working with United College Sarawak in 1999 and helped transform it into what it is today. The College, renamed Laila Taib College in 2010, is housed in a new campus with land and buildings donated by Espirit Wealth Sdn Bhd and KTS group of companies. It now has a student population of over 1,200, taking up diploma programmes recognised not only by the Education Ministry but also by the respective professional bodies. Wong has almost single-handedly been responsible for setting up Sarawak Maritime College with financial assistance from the state government and Shin Yang Group Of Companies. For two years, he played a key role in setting up University College of Technology Sarawak. When first made CEO of United College Sarawak (UCS), he was only 25 years old. Back then, critics said he was too young. One even said under him, the college would collapse within two years. But, Wong said today, UCS, renamed Laila Taib College, is standing tall and providing free higher education. Across the road is University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS), which he helped build. It is today the most advanced university in the country in terms of facilities built with state-of-art green technology. On his appointment as the duty chairman of Sibu Municipal Council, he said: "I am willing to commit myself and work for it. Having accomplished my mission at Laila Taib College and UCTS, Sibu must grow with this world class education and its potential. I feel the development of the two must go together." |
| Posted: 17 May 2014 12:30 PM PDT by Vincent Wong. Posted on May 18, 2014, Sunday TAPAH town, situated about 38km from Kuching along the main road to Serian, is the jumping-off point for Kampung Skuduk and Kampung Chupak. Just after Tapah town, turn right onto a small winding road that seems to lead to nowhere. Next turn right just after the water pump house and go along an even smaller winding road to the villages. Paddy fields (one of the many varieties of wetlands) in various sizes and shape totalling about 1,000ha cluster around both villages. The privately-owned paddy fields range in size from less than 1ha to a few hectares. Most farmers practise double cultivation a year and have water irrigation systems of varying degrees of efficiency. Just before planting fresh crops, the bushes and grass are cleared revealing flocks and flocks of resident and migrant birds. The bird-watching window remains open for a month or so until the freshly planted rice shield the birds from sight. The next window is at harvesting when bird-watching becomes possible for another month or so until the bushy growth once again shields the birds. These bird-watching windows have produced one of the most spectacular periods for bird lovers. One can witness hundreds of birds descending the fields just as dawn breaks, where they remain throughout the day before heading for their roosting sites as night falls. Most birds, however, remain in the field throughout the night as well. These rice fields, a favourite location for many birders from the Malaysian Nature Society in Kuching, have yielded many 'Lifers'. (Lifer is a term used by birders when a new bird species for an area is sighted for the first time). Most bird-watching seasons will record new species and these have attracted birders from as far as Miri to visit. Bird species recorded include Quail, Whistling Ducks, Garganey, a few species of Egrets, Herons, Bittern, Darters, Raptors, Crakes, Rails, Swamphen, Moorhen, Waterhen, Plovers, Snipes, Sandpipers, Cuckoos, Coucals, Malkohas, Owls, Swift/Swiflets, Kingfishers, Munias, Parrotfinch, Sparrow, Wagtail, Mynas and Bulbuls. The recent sightings of the Pin-Tailed Parrotfinch, White Bellied Munia, Baya Weaver and Purple Swamphen created quite a buzz among the birding fraternity. Quite a number of migrant birds have taken up residency in the rice fields, instead of flying north to the summer breeding grounds probably due to the favourable conditions. These birds come to our shores to escape the bitter winter. Most farmers are friendly to the birds opting for netting for their crops, scarecrows or long lines of improvised bells to scare away seed-loving birds, such as Sparrows and Munias, instead of killing or poisoning them. Even though some birds eat the padi, most farmers remain committed to their belief that birds are important for environmental health. We at the Malaysian Nature Society salute and thank the people of Kampung Skuduk, Kampung Chupak and the surrounding areas for their hospitality towards birds, birders and nature lovers who visit their farms. The Malaysian Nature Society |
| Versatile craft machine for all ages Posted: 10 May 2014 12:20 PM PDT by Antonia Chiam, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 11, 2014, Sunday ON-GOING development in technology has simplified and aided works across all spectrums of industry and it is no less true for that of the crafts. The name Sizzix Big Shot is no stranger to many craftsmakers — both professionals and hobbyists alike. Most would actually recognise it as one of the greatest machines that they have worked with — one that opens up a huge wealth of possibilities in their crafting projects. The award-winning machine works in a wide range of projects, be it paper crafts, scrapbooking or embossing. It is a versatile die-cutting and embossing roller-type machine that cuts into many possible kinds of materials. In crafts, die-cutting is a technique that allows both simple and intricate designs to be cut into paper and other similar materials using a sharp metal blade. According to scrapbooking enthusiast and entrepreneur Ngu Siew See, there are many types of crafts that can be made using the Sizzix Big Shot machine. She said in card-making and scrapbooking, die cuts were used to cut out shapes for layering. There was also a variety of flower dies that they could use to make their own three-dimensional flowers to decorate their projects, she added. "Then, there are different patterns of box dies which can be made into lovely gift boxes to put in sweets, chocolates and other small items. "There are also many types of alphabet dies. The Sizzix Big Shot machine can cut into cardboard or grey board. By using alphabet dies, we can even make signages and labels. "One of the most common crafts among Malaysians nowadays is felt and flannel crafts which include the making of soft toys, key chains, pillows, pencil cases and other items. Many cut the shapes to make these items using this machine," she told thesundaypost. Yet, despite its seemingly elaborate and complex functions, it is no complicated invention. Siew See said the Sizzix Big Shot machine is very user-friendly and does not require much strength or effort to use it, adding that the simple hand crank rolled smoothly and lightly without the need to apply a lot of pressure on it. According to her, most craftsmakers are satisfied with the performance of the machine as it really helps them increase the speed of their craft production, particularly those who do pre-cuts and hand-made crafts to sell. "Many would agree it has eased their works and save them time and effort as the machine cuts more precisely and faster than a pair of scissors. "It is also a privilege to those who cannot draw or cut properly. They will have the chance of making cute things, which are cut or embossed on this machine. Everyone has the chance to make nice and professional crafts with the aid of this machine," she added. The versatility of the Sizzix Big Shot machine is not lost among local educators. In fact, it is a surprise to learn many schools in the city actually use the machine in their students' crafting sessions. One such creative educator is a primary school teacher Suriawaty Nawawi from SK Astana, who shared how she used the machine for her students with special needs. "We have this programme at our school known as Special Education Integration Programme for students with special needs or learning disabilities. "We hold extra co-curricular activities every Friday as part of the programme. It was started last year for 36 of our students between seven and 14. "Students who are slow learners as well as those with autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy, are given the chance to learn crafting skills." As she was put in charge of the crafts session, she took the initiative to research online on what would be the best tools and materials for the special children to work with. "I also learned from teachers who have students with special needs from other schools and they too recommended the use of the machine," added the 44-year-old teacher with 13 years experience teaching "special" students. She came across good reviews of Sizzix Big Shot — and how it is user-friendly and versatile for users of all ages. She bought one and found it really easy to use, so she approached the senior assistant (penolong kanan) with the suggestion that they used it for theircrafting sessions on Fridays. "Our students use it for cutting felt and paper to make simple craft items. They would take turns cranking the machine and then gluing the pieces together to make a variety of things. "They have a lot of fun with it. Most of their works are showcased and even sold to other students during our school fair and other school events. "Their parents were particularly surprised when they saw the precise works of their children," she noted. Suriawaty said it was important for children with special needs to be given the opportunity to work with their fingers as they could not fully focus on academics. "We cannot force them to be academic-driven, so as teachers, it's important to give them the skills they can use in the future — at the same time, letting them enjoy the process as crafts making is like a form of therapy for the hands and the mind," she pointed out. When it comes to scrapbooking and making crafts, the Sizzix Big Shot machine has often proven one of the most inspiring tools in the trade with features including a multi-purpose platform and a pair of standard cutting pads. The multi-purpose platform is used to compensate the thickness when using dies from other manufacturers that are thinner than the Sizzix Bigz dies. It actually makes other dies compatible, thus allowing infinite creativity to take its course. This machine is certainly an asset to the craftsmaking circle. It is touted as a fair investment for the creative lot, who should expect to spend around RM500 to RM600 for it. Be sure to check out http://www.sizzix.com/shop/bigshot to learn more about the Sizzix Big shot machine, its accessories and other related items. |
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