» »Unlabelled » Michael Sia continues Sarawak supremacy in hammer throw ... Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

11:12:00

Michael Sia continues <b>Sarawak</b> supremacy in hammer throw <b>...</b> Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

Michael Sia continues <b>Sarawak</b> supremacy in hammer throw <b>...</b>

Posted: 29 May 2014 10:55 AM PDT

KUCHING: Michael Sia Sung Dak has proven to be a worthy successor to Jackie Wong Siew Cheer as Sarawak won the men's hammer throw gold medal for the fourth consecutive Sukma at the Stadium Tuanku Syed Putra, Perlis Sports Complex yesterday.

The Pahang Sukma silver medallist heaved the hammer to a record distance of 56.98m to grab the gold.

Making it a one-two finish for Sarawak in the event was Jackson Wong Chuen Young whose best throw was 50.05m.

The bronze medallist went to Rizhan Rajmi of Perlis with a distance of 46.55m.

In three consecutive Sukma in Terengganu in 2008, Melaka in 2010 and Pahang in 2012, Jackie Wong won the gold and his Sukma record of 55.23 created two years ago was broken by Michael yesterday.

This achievement is also a timely and memorable one for Michael as it is his final Sukma appearance.

The student of Bukit Jalil Sports School, who hails from Bintangor, felt happy for delivering the state contingent's first gold medal in athletics.

"I have worked very hard for this and all my efforts have off handsomely today. I would like to thank my coach Gu Yuan, family and all those who have helped me and supported me," said the thrower who took up hammer throw four years ago.

His next target is to break the national hammer throw record of 62.15m held by Jackie Wong and created at Kuala Lumpur Open last month.

He will continue to train hard and take part in a few competitions in the hope of making it to the national squad for the SEA Games in Singapore in June next year.

Meanwhile, Michael's coach Gu Yuan was happy with his performance yesterday, saying that he had the potential to go further in the hammer throw.

"I have been training him for about a year and I am happy with his discipline and good attitude towards training. He has improved a lot and I believe he is able to better the national record of 62.15m," she said.

Gu was the first Chinese athlete to have won the World Cup hammer throw gold medal with a distance of 70.77m in 2002.

The eight-time Asian Games gold medallist's (1998-2005) best achievement was 72.36m at Asian Games in 2003.

"I am also expecting my other student Casier Renee Lee to do well in the women's hammer throw at this Games," said Gu.

Queenie Ting delivered Sarawak's second gold in athletics yesterday by throwing the discus in the women's competition to a distance of 42.47m in her sixth attempt.

Second was Connie Choo Kn of Johor (37.83m) and the bronze went to another Sarawakian Anny Tang but representing Perlis as she had been studying in the Institute of Teachers Education (IPG) Perlis for three years, with a distance of 34.41m.

Ting expressed her happiness in achieving her target of winning the gold in this event and took the opportunity to thank her coach Thomas Ling for his coaching and guidance.

Another Sarawak athlete Nur Aisyah Ahmat  repeated her achievement in Pahang Sukma by coming in third place in the first event of the day, the women's 5,000m walk in 26:15.83.

The gold and silver were won by Elena Goh of Kuala Lumpur in 25:59.38 and Ling En of Johor in 26:06.46.

Also in action yesterday was Ahmad Tarmizi Ahmad Sabirin and Jonathan Nyepa who were disqualified after making false starts.

Tarmizi was disqualified in the men's 100m heat 1 while Jonathan, who clocked the fastest qualifying time of 10.64s, was disqualified in the men's 100m semi-finals heat 1.

Print Friendly

Ensuring enough timber supply - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 29 May 2014 12:33 PM PDT

by Jonathan Chia and Marilyn Ten reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 30, 2014, Friday

State government should encourage industry players to venture into planted forests — Head of State

KUCHING: The timber industry in the state can no longer depend on timber from natural forest for sustainable production because they are depleting.

As such the state government should encourage industry players to go into planted forest as the future of the industry hinges on their success.

In making the suggestion, the Yang di-Pertua Negari Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said : "The industry has one more challenge to accomplish and that is to make sure we will be able to produce more timber within the next one generation.

"But this cannot come from the natural forest anymore because it would have to sustainably produce around nine million cubic metres a year."

Speaking at the Sarawak Timber Association (STA) dinner Wednesday, which was held in his honour and that of Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem at Wisma STA here, Taib said Sarawak was the largest producer and exporter of tropical timber plywood in the country.

"All these were achieved through the efficient and effective implementation of government development strategies by agencies like Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC)," he said, adding that export had gone up to RM7 billion comprising logs, sawn timber, plywood, veneer, moldings, medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and other timber products.

Taib also noted that the timber industry had contributed much to the state.

"Not many businessmen would understand the difficulty our people have got to face in the interior areas of Belaga and Ulu Baram to extract timber and how dependent they are to get assistance from you (timber industry players)," he said.

He said each time the timber industry players were to pass and develop more concessions they would have to prepare sites for longhouses and even assisted in improving the road in such areas.

"We have been accused of exploiting the people and the irony of it is that whenever there is a timber blockade carried out by the minority of people, I know many of the people from the timber industry continue to provide them with food for lunch and dinner despite their business being affected.

This, he said, would have never occurred in countries such as United States or Canada but unfortunately the state's timber industry has earned a bad name overseas just because there are non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who have their own agenda.

"I have asked some of the NGOs at one time to take a photograph from the satellite and zoom to see whether our forests have been cut clear completely, they did not want to because they were not sure what they would find.

"If they can see my house from the satellite photo, I'm sure they can detect whether our forests have been cut clean or are still there," he added.

Nevertheless, he believed in providing constant explanation as the NGOs should not be allowed to criticise without condition.

"But don't expect them to stop because it is their job to criticise. Eventually, the truth will come out."

On another subject, Taib commended STA for its strong cooperation with the state government that had been forged for almost 20 years.

"My advice to you is to maintain your leadership role and continue to improve yourself as well as the systems. Remain involved in the international arena on the preservation of forests and biodiversity in general.

"Strategic and proactive communications is important to tackle negative media reports on the timber industry. We cannot be oblivious to such reports in order to maintain a good image of the industry and the country as whole. Play an active role in communicating our message to the public at large."

During the dinner, Taib was presented with the STA Golden Member Medal in recognition of his vision and exemplary leadership by STA chairman Pemanca Datuk Wong Kie Yik.

Wong also presented the chief minister with the same medal to welcome him as a guardian to STA.

Toh Puan Ragad Kurdi Taib, Puan Sri Dato Jamilah Anu, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and his wife Dato Sri Empiang, Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Land Development Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar James Masing, Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and STA honorary secretary Dato Henry Lau were among those who came to the dinner.

Print Friendly

RWMF 2014 to incorporate new elements - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 28 May 2014 12:29 PM PDT

KUCHING: New elements will be brought into this year's 17th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2014 at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Damai about 40 km from here.

Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Datuk Rashid Khan said there would be an additional stage (theatre stage) for two bands to perform daily in the afternoon.

He said the afternoon performances would be held concurrently with the workshops being held in the various houses at the venue.

The festival is being held from 10 am to 12 pm for three consecutive days from June 20-22.

"A total of 23 bands comprising 16 international and seven Malaysian bands are lined up for the festival," he told reporters after the launch of MyTeksi app here yesterday.

Rashid said its formula of afternoon informative workshops, ethno-musical lectures, jamming sessions and mini concerts, which precedes the evening performances on the main stage, would continue.

The festival is organised by STB and supported by the Sarawak Tourism Ministry and federal Tourism Ministry besides being endorsed by Tourism Malaysia.

Last year 22,190 people attended the festival.

Rashid said the festival, which was usually held in the second week of July, is being held early this year in view of the fasting month in July.

The Borneo World Music Expo held prior to the RWMF last year will continue to be held this year at a major hotel here. — Bernama

Print Friendly

Penakluk kaban parti ulih ngenegapka SPDP: Tiong – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 24 May 2014 09:10 AM PDT

Ngambika parti tu majak tegap sereta tebilang ba raban komponen parti BN di menua tu

BINTULU: Semua kaban Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) diperansang terus talukka parti enda ngira isu tauka penanggul ke nuntung diatu ngambika parti nya majak tegap nyadi sebagi ari parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) di menua tu, pia ku kaban Parlimen Bintulu, Dato' Seri Tiong King Sing.

Ku iya, taja pan SPDP diatu benung betapi enggau penanggul, kaban parti patut nemu penanggul ke nyadi dalam Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) ukai bepun ari dengki enggau pangan diri, tang ketegal ulah seiku ketuai parti ti enda nitihka atur parti.

"Pekara ke beguna amat diatu iya nya, semua kaban parti patut mereti sereta nemu penanggul ke amat nyadi dalam parti, ngambika sida enda nerima penerang ke salah sentang pekara nya kelebih agi jaku orang bukai ari luar ti deka beambi ulih ari penanggul ke nyadi nya," pia ku iya bejaku maya Malam Penyerakup SPDP ke diatur ba sebuah restoren ditu kena malam Hari Lima tu tadi.

Pengerami nya digulu lebih 3,000 iku penyukung parti nya ke mega ngelaika SPDP mengkang bisi sukung ke kuat ari penyukung, taja pan Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom ke mega ex-presiden parti udah ninggalka parti sereta tama Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (TERAS).

Pengerami nya mega sebagi ari program SPDP beserimbai enggau Aum Kaban Kaunsil Besai (AMKT) ke diatur ba Palan Servis Kaban Parlimen Bintulu, muak ke siang sehari nya.

"Diatu kitai (SPDP) nampung pengawa ngemujurka kuing parti ngambika ulih nyadi sebuah parti politik ari baruh BN ke bediri tegap ba bala penyukung kuat parti nengah iring kaban Kaunsil Besai (AMT) ke diatu," pia ku iya.

Ku iya baru SPDP deka gawa chakah agi ngenegapka parti ngambika majak tebilang ba raban komponen parti BN bukai, taja pan betapi enggau penanggul baka ke diatu.

Beserimbai enggau nya, Tiong meri terima kasih ngagai semua AMKT sereta mega kaban parti ke sepenemu nyiri iya nyadi pemangku presiden parti sementara nganti pengawa milih baru AMKT ba Aum Besai Tiga Taun Sekali SPDP ke deka diatur kena 27 September taun tu.

Print Friendly