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State govt wants MAS to maintain <b>Sarawak</b>, Sabah&#39;s interest <b>...</b> Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

State govt wants MAS to maintain <b>Sarawak</b>, Sabah&#39;s interest <b>...</b>

Posted: 18 Jun 2014 12:57 PM PDT

MIRI: The state government wants the troubled Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to maintain the interest of Sarawak and Sabah even if it has to let go certain subsidiaries and shrink operation to reduce cost.

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state government was ready to collaborate with its Sabah counterpart to turn MASWings into a regional airlines should MAS take out the airline out of its operation as part of a turnaround programme.

"The state government's decision is very clear and if MAS wants to shrink operation, it must not jeopardize the interest of Sarawak and Sabah.

"If MASWing could be made a regional airline just like SilkAir is to Singapore Airlines, then let Sarawak and Sabah focus on MASWings to establish themselves in the Asia Pacific as well as the other regional destinations," he told reporters here yesterday after witnessing the signing of a hotel management agreement between Unique Harvest Sdn Bhd and Accors Group for operation and management of Pullman Miri Waterfront Hotel and Resort.

He added that there were great potentials in making MASWings as the regional airlines as both Sarawak and Sabah had great destinations and tourism products known both locally and internationally.

"Besides, MASWings has its own fleet of aircraft and what is needed for further expansion is regional jets to connect the important hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok.

"Through Hong Kong one can get the European and American passengers, and Hong Kong to Miri/KK for instance is 3 1/2 hour flight. What we need is aircraft that has 3 to 5-hour endurance."

Meanwhile, Khazanah Nasional Bhd (Khazanah Nasional) managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar recently said they would come up with a plan to restructure the troubled MAS within a year.

He said all options were being considered at the moment, reflecting the seriousness of the current situation and the importance of MAS to the country.

"There is also a possibility of MAS downsizing its flights in the near term until a restructuring plan is formulated, given that MAS has a reasonable leeway in making choices over its network plan," he said.

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RWMF kicks off with mangrove planting - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 19 Jun 2014 12:26 PM PDT

by Jude Toyatseeds@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 20, 2014, Friday

KUCHING: The internationally acclaimed Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) kicked off yesterday with a mangrove planting ceremony at the Kuching Wetlands National Park, a collaboration between Petronas via its Sarawak Regional Office and Sarawak Forest Department to conserve the environment and promote biodiversity in the state.

Media representatives from around the world who had come here for RWMF also joined in the activity by planting a total of 200 seedlings.

"One of the programmes made by the state government through the Forest Department was this replanting of mangrove trees which had been going for about three years, with various participants including university students who had learnt proper ways to plant the trees, making places such as the Kuching Wetlands National Park greener, transforming Sarawak into a place that is beautiful with its flora and fauna," Pantai Damai assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said when officiating the ceremony.

The 6,610ha Kuching Wetland National Park was listed as Ramsar Site in November 2005 and was deemed of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty on conservation and sustainable utilisation of wetlands signed in the city of Ramsar, Iran in 1971. So far, Petronas is the first corporate body to conserve the wetland park.

"We are indeed very fortunate to collaborate with Petronas and the Sarawak Forest Department, in the effort to identify places such as Kuching Wetland National Park with the aim of creating a different experience for people who may not be familiar with the wetlands and its ecosystems, especially the younger generation while inspiring and empowering them to safeguard the wetland areas and raise awareness on the high conservation value and important ecological role of the mangrove forest," said chief executive officer of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) Datuk Rashid Khan who was also present at the ceremony.

"Sarawak Tourism Board has done its greater role in growing the music festival and at the same time sustaining the environment and this is a good opportunity for us to contribute back to Mother Nature," he added.

'ecoBako' started since 2012 as part of Petronas' continuous commitment to conserve the environment and promote biodiversity in areas of its operations. Among the conservation activities already carried out is the planting of more than 2,000 seedlings of mangroves from the Rhizophora mucromata species at the five hectare plot adopted by Petronas.

RWMF has seen tremendous success in putting Sarawak on the world tourism map, being named as the '25 Best International Festivals' by Songlines, a renowned world music magazine for five consecutive years.

This year, RWMF will have 22 bands, three stages and 27 workshops where visitors can experience many exotic and award-winning bands performing. Apart from good music, the cultural bazaar will be featuring local, fusion and international food and beverages as well as stalls selling festival memorabilia, performers CDs and collectibles will also be available.

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Si Yi takes national junior squash title - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 04:11 PM PDT

by Philip Wong reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 16, 2014, Monday

SIBU: Sarawak's top woman squash player Ma Si Yi has added another feather to her cap when she emerged the Girl's Under-15 champion at the Malaysian Junior Open squash championship held in Penang recently.

But Si Yi, who is from Miri, had to dig deep before beating Penang's Nur Aliah Izzati 3-1 (11-9, 11-8, 10- 12, 12-10).

The victory cemented her reputation as the best female player in the state and also earned her a coveted trip to England in January 2015 to take part in the prestigious British Junior Open.

"It was a hard fought victory and I am really happy to have nailed my fi rst Under-15 title," said Si Yi, who was the Under-9 and Under-11 champion in the past.

Victory was also sweet for Si Yi and helped her to forget the nightmare she encountered during the recent Perlis Sukma when she lost heavily to a more senior player Rachel Arnold in the fi rst round.

"It seems quite impossible to beat Rachel who is fi ve years my senior.

Nevertheless, I will draw from all my experience gained for future championships and, hopefully, can help Sarawak shine in the Sukma squash event," she added.

Another Sarawakian, Caleb Lau from Sibu, also provided a glimmer of hope of taking the Boy's Under-11 title before losing to Au Lap Man from Hong Kong 1-3 (11-7, 2-11, 2-11, 7-11).

Squash Racquets Association of Sarawak (SRAS) president Robert Lau Hui Yew was happy with the performance of the Sarawak players.

"Sarawak players have always returned with at least one title to show.

This year is of no exception and al l of us in the squash fraternity ought to feel proud for Si Yi.

" The Malaysia Junior Open 2014 attracted players from Iran, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia and Papua New Guinea.

"This tournament is of Platinum category, the highest category sanct ioned by Asia Squash Federation and there are 10 groups of players consisting of Boys and Girls-Under 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 taking part in the championship," Lau added.

He said CIMB Foundation had agreed to sponsor any Malaysia player who wins any of the age group category to the British Junior Open 2 015 and that incentive was the main carrot that attracted so many top players in Malaysia to take part.

Sarawak sent a big contingent of 31 players to take part in all age groups.

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