Tiny but significant pieces of history BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » thesundaypost - New 2 Borneo |
- Tiny but significant pieces of history
- All at sea
- Empire Games veteran still on the go at 81
- A world where everyone has a decent place to live
- More of the ‘latest’ in the natural world
- First ever resort-style school, SK St Bernard Sadir
| Tiny but significant pieces of history Posted: 21 Jun 2014 11:55 AM PDT by Antonia Chiam, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 22, 2014, Sunday COLLECTING stamps and coins is not about collecting as many of them as possible even though that was what some of us did in our childhood. The more we had to display in our little stamp albums and coin boxes, the more cool it made us looked to our peers. However, philately and numismatics, referring to the study and collection of stamps and coins or bank notes respectively, are not hobbies to be taken lightly. After all, it takes some knowledge to tell all the various stamps and coins apart. In fact, to serious collectors, all the stamps and coins signify an important part of our lives. To philatelist Ong Liap Teck, stamps represent the history of a country and form an integral part of our lives — something that should not treated as a mere frivolous collection. "Stamps, coins and banknotes — they may be small items but are very important as they have a lot of historical value. From the history of stamps, we know the history of our country. Stamps show control within the territory of a country. "Through stamps, we are able to appreciate the progress of systems, communications, international business and so on throughout the years," he told thesundaypost. Ong, the president of Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak, strongly believed that through philately and numismatics, people would have a better understanding and appreciation of history. "Stamps, coins, banknotes or old documents are actually artefacts accessible to ordinary people. They are not antiques per se but something connected with either our personal or our country's history. "For example, from all the documents of the past, we can tell how unique Sarawak is, having been ruled by a foreign family for about a century. "We also learn that stamps from the Japanese occupation period tend to be valuable because there were very limited postal correspondence in those days — so to have something from that era is a priceless piece of history. "Besides, most families would have their own documents of some sort from the past. All these have stories or lessons to tell the current or future generations. That's why it's important to keep, study and share them with other collectors," he said. According to Ong, the Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak now has 280 members of whom about 100 are active and they have gatherings on weekends to discuss their hobby. The Society was founded in 1993 with the aim to promote Sarawak stamps by creating fellowship among collectors, and provide a healthy avenue for youths to gather and learn about this traditional hobby. Stamp collection was once a popular hobby before being overtaken by video games and technological gadgets. Ong said the Society aimed to be the training ground for cultivating knowledge, history and appreciation of the arts through philately and numismatics. "Most of the members' collections are Sarawak stamps, coins or banknotes — from the Brooke era till the present. Morerover, some members collect old documents and ephemera such as postcards and old letters. "Usually, the stamps and coins are found through auctions, private collections, old documents such as discarded files as well as fellowships with overseas societies." Ong pointed out that different members usually had different knowledge or expertise with their own specific collections. Because of this, different topics are discussed at the weekly gatherings. This makes for good sharing sessions as no one can be an expert in every field. The scope of the topics is very wide — which makes the Society interesting. "Actually, there are many other such groups in Kuching and other parts of Sarawak. We hope to attract more friends to join us — and usually communicate and promote our activities through Whatsapp and Facebook Group (Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak). "Age is not a problem at all as we have members from 18 to 88 years old. The response has been good from active members and everyone enjoys the harmonious interaction," he said. Ong, who started his stamp collection in 1997, is interested mostly in collecting revenue stamps used on documents — not those used in postage. For those wishing to start a collection, he cautioned against impulsive purchases, stressing on the importance of research. "Don't buy until you are very sure of its historical value and check with various sources. It would be good to check who the previous owners were or what the source of the documents was. "You also do not have to buy at a very expensive price. It does not mean old is valuable. Actually, this hobby is not so much focused on the monetary value of the collections as some may not worth much at all." He said people collected them because of the rarity or uniqueness of certain items, adding that sometimes, the colour of the same stamp may differ, making it a unique set but it did not fetch a high price commercially. "Of course, for those wishing to be sure of prices, there are catalogues, issued by relevant authorities, which merely serve as guides. The prices are subjective and may differ between catalogue and selling price — which could be higher or lower." Ong also pointed out that usually stamp collecting started with sentimental values — in the days when people still relied heavily on postal service. "The days when people sent letters and postcards through the post. People, especially youngsters, may start collecting stamps because of sentimental value or emotional attachment. For example, if you have penpals overseas, you tend to cut out the stamps from the different countries. "It's really the sense of possessing something that nobody else has or something with very few left in the world. "Most importantly, don't start collecting until you understand and appreciate them. It's a hobby requiring knowledge and interest — not just about making profit. However, once you get started, you will find it a very fulfilling hobby as you can learn a lot from it." Ong encouraged the public wanting to learn more about philately and numismatics to join the Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak Facebook Group. He also informed that there will be a Stamp Fair at CityOne Megamall from June 25 to 29. "This is an annual event open to the public. We will have dealers' sale booths as well as an exhibition of our members' private collections. The public can come and learn more," he said.   |
| Posted: 21 Jun 2014 11:50 AM PDT by Joash Kong, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 22, 2014, Sunday JAMIE CULLUM sings of a life, idyllic and free, in his song "All At Sea" with the lyrics — I'm all at sea, where no one can bother me. Forgot my roots if only for a day. Just me and my thoughts sailing far away. When one thinks about it, doesn't a life in a yacht out on the wide azure waters of the ocean inspire a life of luxury? When you read pop culture books, yachts are often referenced as a status symbol, with butlers, champagne and oysters among other luxuries, and even in recent news, you would have seen celebs enjoying a nice time yachting out on the ocean. thesundaypost had the opportunity to board a yacht recently although the experience was nothing as glamorous as the silver screen or books made it out to be. In the much noticeable humid temperatures brought about by sizzling El Nino, it was sweltering, yet strangely calming as we bobbed up and down like a cork in water. The yacht, named Jolie Brise, which means beautiful breeze, is owned by 72-year-old Australian Robert Snashall. Of course, I was intrigued to find out the story behind the name. "There is a lady involved, but it's not," Snashall said with a definite chuckle when prompted by the question – Was it named after a lady? Apparently, the story behind Jolie Brise started when a young Robert Snashall, aged eight or nine, found an old book about sailing (Peter Heaton's Sailing), which featured the original Jolie Brise, a French pilot cutter ship. "I used to devour this book — I learned about building boats because my father was sort of a boat builder although he was really more of a house builder but I looked at this (referring to a picture of a boat blueprint) and thought One day, I must have a boat like that to go exploring," he recalled. Snashall's interest in sailing was not merely sparked by that coincidental stumbling upon a blueprint nor the colourful history of the Jolie Brise but also partly by his own childhood. "We used to live by the seaside where a lot of people went for their summer boats and my father used to build a lot of motorboats for people to go fishing in. This was in the early 1950's and he used to rent out these boats along with some canoes. "I was allowed to use one of these canoes — I was about eight or nine years old — and I got my mother to get me a broomstick and an old sheet to make a sail. "I used to paddle upwind and sail downwind. I thought that was fabulous," he enthused, recalling the remarkable discovery of being able to go somewhere without doing much work and getting blown along with the wind. Snashall then went on to join the Sea Scouts and bought his first small yacht when he was 15 years old, after saving up from Saturday mornings working at a local petrol station. "It was 12 feet long and cost me 60 pounds at the time. About 25 years ago, I bought the fibreglass hull and fitted it out over five years, spending my free time and weekends doing all the woodwork, fitting it out and making the mast. "So this is all my handiwork, well, not the fibreglass but most of it. So in a way, it's one of my creations — a floating holiday home, if you must," he chuckled. When the boat was finished and ready to be launched, he originally wanted to call it Cameric, a combination of his two sons' names – Cameron and Eric. But at the time, he had a partner who was French, and he remembered this book (Peter Heaton's Sailing), and thought Why not? "So that's the story behind Jolie Brise," Snashall said, further revealing that the original Jolie Brise had quite a chequered past. In the 1890's and before, ships used to leave the East Coast of the US to return to Europe, and they would telegraph their leaving times to "pilots" who were required to guide these ships into French and English ports. Mini companies would usually provide these pilots. Jolie Brise was the fastest of these sailing pilot cutters, as they were called, but towards the end of the sailing era, and when steamships were starting to take over, Jolie Brise became a racing yacht, going on to win the first major international yacht race before becoming a fishing boat in Portugal, a wreck, a rich man's yacht in the South of England, resuming a racing yacht life, and is now a national trust boat, managed and run by a sailing school in the United Kingdom, based on the Isle of Wight. "It's a lovely historic boat," Snashall mused. The weather, despite being sweltering, was interspersed by occasional cool breezes which alleviated the humid discomfort, yet everyday at sea couldn't always be this pleasant, could it? "Oh, no. Sometimes there are enormous waves. For example, when I was sailing here from Indonesia along the Sunda Strait, there were enormous thunderstorms, heavy winds and strong rain for three nights. It wasn't enjoyable. "So yes, sometimes I get scared. I mean, I don't think anyone won't be scared; you're up against the elements, the weather. But you think rationally about it. Everything is okay, you're doing everything you can do and need to do, and just think rationally," he said. Snashall, who has worked with the UN as a consultant over the past 15 years, building refugee camps, also spoke of sailing rallies such as the Sail Indonesia Rally and Sail Malaysia Rally. "A lot of international boats sailing round the world would come across the Pacific and stay the hurricane season in Queensland, Australia, before sailing to Darwin and joining the Sail Indonesia Rally, taking them right through Indonesia to complete the run in Johor Bahru. "From then on, they join the Sail Malaysia Rally — from Danga Bay, Johor Bahru to Miri, Labuan, Kota Kinabalu, Kudat, Turtle Islands Park, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Semporna and ending in Tawau," he explained. Snashall further explained these rallies often saw dinners and cultural events at the various stops — a great way to introduce the local culture to the sailors. "I think what these rallies do is introduce a lot of Australians, who are living quite conservative lives with no understanding of other cultures, to the local cultures. "While a lot of them do travel, it's mostly to Europe or America, and recently, more to Southeast Asia, but a two-week holiday doesn't really teach you much about other peoples' culture, does it? "So it's good for sailors to experience this, and it's good for cultures to see each other and have a better understanding. Hopefully, that way, we can have a more peaceful world," Snashall added. Before I disembarked, Snashall shared an old seamen's adage: You need one hand for yourself and one hand for the ship. A proverb which states "when you are on a ship, always use one hand to steady yourself, and one to work; likewise, always put some effort into safeguarding yourself as well as into working." Something to consider — often, the modern man or woman chases success, stability, power, fortune, in an eternal rat race, but at the risk of over-exerting or overworking. This saying is such a revelation that going all out with both eyes on the prize may not be the best in the long term and it's always better to sometimes take a step back, draw a deep breath and pursue it with one eye on the prize and one eye on well-being. Wise words from 16th century sailors to keep in mind even in this advanced time and age. |
| Empire Games veteran still on the go at 81 Posted: 21 Jun 2014 11:48 AM PDT by Rintos Mail, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 22, 2014, Sunday
But for octogenarian Dato' Tham Siew Kai, there are no signs as yet to suggest he is ready to swap his backyard gardening or walking exercise for a nice comfy armchair. Back in 1958, Tham was one of the pioneer Sarawak athletes to compete in the Empire Games – now called the Commonwealth Games — in Cardiff, Wales. He is now 81 years young and still strong, energetic and healthy. He still walks fast – like he used to. Clad in a yellow collar T-shirt and light brown slack during the interview, he still looked the same as when we last met six or seven years ago. At first, he was reluctant to talk about his his life after stepping down as Sarawak Amateur Athletic Association (SAAA) secretary – a post he held for 28 years. Being a humble person, he prefers keeping a low profile, saying: "I want to fade away gradually." However, he finally relented, revealing that good eating habits helped keep him healthy. "I don't live to eat, but eat to live. I don't eat much – that's why I'm very slim." Although a former middle distant runner, Tham does not jog or run to stay healthy. To keep fit, he does gardening everyday, describing it as an excellent hobby — a fun and healthy pastime at any age. "It requires a little forethought and creativity to make it a perfect pastime for a senior citizen like me." Tham spends one to three hours gardening every evening, planting papaya, brinjal and tomato in his backyard for self-consumption. "This activity keeps me busy. It's great for the mind and body." He said gardening also increased his strength and endurance, relieved stress and fostered a sense of achievement for the day. "I don't walk or jog at 4am to keep fit. Jogging is too hard for me and 4am is the best time to sleep. "I normally wake up late, take light breakfast and read newspapers before lunch. After that, I watch TV news before gardening in the evening." Tham learned about gardening at a place called Labi in Brunei. Together with his uncle and brothers, he fled to Labi by boat to escape the Japanese occupiers. "At that time, I was 11 or 12. It took us nearly one day to row to Labi. From there, we walked two hours to a place where we planted padi, pepper and oranges. "We also planted tobacco. So in Labi, I learned to do gardening," he recalled. Tham was born in Miri but grew up in Kuala Belait, Brunei, where his father worked with Shell. He stayed in Labi for four years before the family move back to Kuala Belait after the Japanese surrendered. In 1951, he moved to Kuching to continue his studies. While in the state capital, he took up athletics and won the 400 yards event at the first Sarawak Amateur Athletic Association (SAAA) meet in 1954. Because of his dominance in the event, he was selected by colonial government to represent Sarawak in the Empire Games in 1958. Only three athletes from Sarawak were picked. The others were Joseph Lee (100 yards) and Salleh Wahab (3 miles). Tham did not win but taking part in the Games was, for him, a great and memorable experience. "Although there were only three of us, our participation had publicised Sarawak among the British colonies. Before that, few people knew about Sarawak as a British colony," he said. According to Tham, the unique thing about the Empire Games in Cardiff was that after the event, all the athletes returned to London as guests of the London government for one week under a programme called the 'London Welcome Week.' He remembered the Kuching-Singapore flight by the Dakota aircraft took four hours while the Singapore-Cardiff flight by the Constellation airliner took two days one night. Tham said the opening ceremony of the Empire Games was screened on TV in London. "I knew about it after receiving a letter from the Royal Air Force officer I met in Ipoh in 1955. "He wrote to say he saw me on TV during the march past, carrying the Sarawak colonial flag."
Tham said the Empire Games was the last time he ran the 400 yards. After that, he went to pursue his studies in New Zealand. On returning home, he worked with Radio Sarawak, now Radio Television Malaysia (RTM). Tham held an engineer's post with the broadcasting station for 26 years ago and now lives on his pension. He said generally, incomes of older pensioners were stretched to the limit. "We spend according to our means. Put it this way, when we look up, there are people above us and when we look down, there also people down there." He added that at his age, he just had to appreciate and enjoy what he had. "There's no need to ask for more or expect so much when we don't have the ability to achieve it. "On top of that, I'm just happy to live a simple life with no worries but full of happiness because that helps me to stay strong and healthy," said Tham who has two sons and seven grandchildren. In life, people look at old age as something to be fearful of. Things stop working the way they should. People slow down, most likely become more intolerant of the things that irritate them and reminisce about the good old days. That's not the case with Tham as he continues to live a happy, simple and healthy lifestyle. At 81, he is still "sharp" in maths, having tutored his grandson and granddaughter in the subject. "I gave my two grandchildren maths tuition two years ago and my grandson managed to score A in his UPSR last year. "My granddaughter will sit for her Primary Six exam this year. She scored 90 per cent in maths in her last term test," he said. Tham's hobbies are reading newspapers, watching TV and gardening which he said kept him occupied and from feeling bored. "I still have a lot of friends even in Kuala Lumpur. Some have even invited me to Genting — with a free room to stay." "I go there not to gamble. I believe in luck but I don't have luck — that's why I don't gamble or buy lottery." Although not a football fan, Tham liked to watch Manchester United play under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson. He is a secret admirer of Fergie whom he describes as a disciplinarian. To him, footballers are like athletes who must not be left to go astray. "I'm not a football fan but I hardly missed watching MU games during Ferguson's time," he said. Tham knows a lot about Manchester United — even the incident when Ferguson kicked up a boot and struck David Beckham's left eye with it after the latter performed badly in a match. He said even though the boot caused a gash above Beckham's eye, nothing happened. "If he hurt Beckham, Ferguson had to answer to the top management if Beckham decided to take legal action. "But Ferguson must have been right otherwise Beckham would have sued him. I like Ferguson. He made his players very disciplined — which is the key to success." Tham said he was not sure about David Moyes though, pointing out that the results showed Moyes who succeeded Ferguson last season, could not control the players he inherited from the previous manager. Tham looks forward to MU matches next season under new manager Louis Van Gaal. "I missed many MU matches last season. Because they lost many matches under the new manger, I seldom watch them play. "I hope the new manager can bring the glory days back to Manchester United," he said. Tham has contributed greatly to athletics in Sarawak, having served as SAAA secretary from 1984 to 2012. In 2003, as a recognition of his service, the state awarded him the Panglima Setia Bintang Sarawak (PSBS) which carries the title Dato', making him the first serving secretary of an athletics association in Malaysia to ever receive such a recognition. "The award is an honour for an ordinary person like me," he said. Tham became SAAA secretary in 1984 by chance when everyone present at the annual general meeting, including the incumbent, declined to contest. After holding the post for more than two decades, he decided to give way to new blood in 2012. His experience and guidance, however, is still much needed, and today, he serves as the vice president of SAAA. |
| A world where everyone has a decent place to live Posted: 21 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT Home is more than just a word in the dictionary. It is a shelter, a residence, and most importantly, a place where family is formed. In Kuching, we may not see homeless people camping underneath the road flyovers, but there are people who are struggling and forced to live in sub-standard housing. These people are struggling each day for decent personal space, proper sanitary system and befitting home maintenance. It is in this context that Habitat for Humanity Malaysia is relevant to Sarawak. Habitat for Humanity International is a global non-profit Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing; by building simple, decent and affordable houses for the families in need. Habitat's vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat for Humanity was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller back in 1976 and operates in more than 100 countries worldwide. Its Mission Statement reads: 'Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope'. Habitat's vision: "a world where everyone has a decent place to live". In its practice the organisation advocates for affordable housing, promotes dignity and hope and support sustainable and transformational development. Habitat for Humanity attracts a number of well-known personalities as its volunteers. Perhaps the most famous is Jimmy Carter, the former US president. In 1984 Jimmy and Rosalynn led a work group to New York City to help renovate a six-storey building with 19 families in need of decent, affordable shelter. Habitat began working in the Asia Pacific region in 1983 covering Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. By 2013, it has helped 59,129 families. Habitat for Humanity Malaysia opened its doors in Kuching in October 1998 with Pastor John Chin serving as its first president. Five years later in 2004, an office was set up in Kota Kinabalu, led by Allen Tong. In 2005, another office was opened in Kuala Lumpur, which is now home to the National Office and the National Board of Trustees. Since it started in 1998, Habitat Malaysia has served more than 200 families through its resource centers in Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu affiliates. As of 31 March 2014, Habitat Kuching has completed 126 houses, Habitat Kuala Lumpur 60 and Kota Kinabalu 37 houses. Habitat Kuching engages youth volunteers, from overseas and local institutions e.g. Mount Kiara International School of Kuala Lumpur, British International School of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and students from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak. Habitat Kuching will be hosting Malaysia's first ever blitz build project, where 14 houses will be constructed in just six days from 14 – 19 September 2014. This project 'Borneo Blitz Build' will take place at Jalan Stephen Yong, where 1.25 acres of land was donated to Habitat Kuching by a philanthropist. The Borneo Blitz Build Project has been endorsed by Padawan Municipal Council and supported by Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development. The main sponsors of the project include: Naim Holdings Berhad, Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS), Procter & Gamble and The Spring Mall. Pre-construction works for Borneo Blitz Build Project have started on site and individual volunteers are welcomed. The dates to volunteer are: 20 July, 9 and 10 August. Those interested can contact Habitat Kuching at: 082 429 700 or email: info.kuching@hfhmalaysia.org. The story of two beneficiaries Nancy is a 46-years-old single mother since 11 years ago. Tests and trials in life do not break her, because she knows that she has to take care of three young children in the absence of her husband. She has a decent job, working as a shift leader in Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) Catering. What she earns each month is only enough to fend for herself and to provide for her children. The children soon outgrew the small wooden house. Over years, the wooden house has aged and started to rot. Habitat for Humanity came into the picture by helping Nancy construct a new brick house at Kampung Dangak. Nancy is deemed more fortunate, for she has a small piece of land and a small wooden house to start with. Jobly and his family were squatters for a decade long. The man struggled hard to provide for his family. He has been a general worker for the past 20 years, earning a meagre income. His wife tried to supplement the household income by working as part time cleaner in a shopping complex. The family dreamed of having their own home but with the rising cost living and building materials hiking, the dream proved to be elusive. Jobly saved for ten years to buy materials for their house but it was just enough for a few cement blocks. With Habitat's help Jobly was able to complete the family house. His is a success story, for now he is not only a home partner but a co-worker. Jobly currently works at the site for Habitat for Humanity, helping other needy people building their dreams. A chat with a long serving staff In a recent visit to the Habitat for Humanity Kuching office, writer Faith Wong had a chance to post some questions to Angelina Tong the office manager, who is the longest serving staff in Kuching. Faith Wong: There are probably others that are in greater needs than people like Nancy and Jobly. Why Habitat for Humanity chose people like Nancy and Jobly over them? Angelina: First off, Habitat for Humanity is not a giveaway programme. It is here to help provide for those families that need a lift. Our home owners/partners must be able to pay the cost of house building into a revolving fund in order for this programme to be sustained and be successful. We will help to refer those who are in dire need and are unable to make repayment to other organisations, clubs, associations or churches. Sometimes, we have sponsors that are willing to shoulder the repayment approaching us too. Faith Wong: What would you say is different from the time you first joined Habitat for Humanity after serving for 14 long years? Angelina: I have definitely become smarter. When we work for a charity body, we cannot deny that sometimes our compassion clouds our judgment. I have misjudged some and learned some, especially in terms of repayment. There are also times where potential home owners/partners that withdraw necessary information deliberately. Our disadvantage is that we cannot run financial checks with the bank or financial institution, but we can verify with supervisors or employers. Faith Wong: On average, I understand that there are hundreds of applicants. What is your priority? Angelina: We build for the greatest needs first. There are times when applicants are made homeless overnight because of fire or other disasters. We have to cater to their needs first. In fact, we are quite flexible in our selection. We try our best to help all that qualified as home owners/partners. Faith Wong: What is your view on alternatives in home building, like cheaper materials, shorter construction time and so on? Angelina: We are open to all possible ways that are proven workable and affordable to the home owners/partners. Generally, I think the main issues are land acquisition and acceptance. If there is adequate market research that shows that certain alternative construction is widely acceptable by Malaysians, we will gladly adopt the idea. Malaysia is different, say, from Nepal where they widely adopt bamboo as building material like corrugated roofing sheets and woven bamboo mats for wall panels. Faith Wong: Besides helping home owners/partners in getting a decent house, what else can Habitat for Humanity do for the people? Angelina: For cases that we handle here, we follow up them through family mentoring. We educate them on financial and home maintenance. We travel and conduct talks in the kampungs on these matters. We also frequently visit District Offices to talk to Ketua Kampung, Penghulu or Pemanca. |
| More of the ‘latest’ in the natural world Posted: 21 Jun 2014 10:55 AM PDT by Tom MacLaughlin. Posted on June 22, 2014, Sunday Another species of freshwater crab A NEW freshwater crab species has been found in Borneo. The new species, Parathelphusa nobilii, has been found in the Sinkawang area of Kalimantan, Indonesia. Parathelphusa oxygona had been proven to be the chief crab just before the Sinkawang area, while the Parathelphusa nobili takes over from there. It is not certain exactly where the old species ends and the new one starts as there are mountains between the two. For more go to www.mapress.com. Crabs in caves Another species of cave crab has been found in Sarawak. Peter Ng of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Jongkar Grinang from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) are responsible for the discovery. The new species, Stygothelephusa antu, was recently collected in the Temurang Cave System. It joins Stygothelephusa bidiensis (1900), Stygothelephusa nobillii (1920) and Stygothelephusa cranbrooki (2013). The 'new' crab seems to be more adapted to the dark innards of the cave, with eyes and corneas that are reduced in size. For more go to www.mapress.com. Resurrection of a bee A bee that has laid dormant since between 1946 and 1963 has been resurrected and given a name — Colletes kinabalu Kuhlmann. The problem is that the species' nearest relative is from southern Scandinavia to the west, to the Mediterranean region onwards to Russia in the far east. There are no known species in this region. To further complicate things, there is no information about the date it was collected, the elevation or the locality from where it was collected. The tag only said 'BrNoBorneo'. The author of the article, Dr Mike Kuhlmann, states that the bee was probably collected in the upper montane zone at a height of about 2,000 to 2,800 metres. For more go to https://ojsprdap.vm.ku.edu. Another tree frog The graduate school of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto has announced the discovery of a new genus and species of tree frog called Chiromantis with the species name of Chiromantis inexpectus. The tree frog has dark spots on the dorsal side, a dark band from the snout, bordered ventrally by a white stripe and third and fourth finger less than half webbed. This is the first time the genus has been described outside of Southeast Asia. The Malaysian Nature Society |
| First ever resort-style school, SK St Bernard Sadir Posted: 14 Jun 2014 12:10 PM PDT by Joanna Yap, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 15, 2014, Sunday IF necessity is the mother of invention, then SK St Bernard Sadir has certainly hit on an ingenious and enterprising solution on how to enrich the schooling experiences of its students as well as impart critical living skills to them. This small rural primary school of about 109 students has set its sights set on being the first resort-style school in the country. Tucked among the picturesque mountains and valleys of Padawan, about 70km from the city of Kuching, St Bernard is just a stone's throw from some of the area's most popular tourist attractions and destinations. One of the most well-known is the Annah Rais hotsprings, literally just a 10-minute drive down the road from where the school is situated. On-going efforts by local government agencies and local bodies to promote Padawan as a tourism destination have encouraged the growth of the local homestay industry as well as created greater public interest in the area's natural beauty as well as many cultural attractions. So what was the motivation for SK St Bernard to embark on its journey of transformation to become a resort-style school? Unique concept "There are many schools that have adopted concepts such as school-within-a-park and so on, so we thought why not try to make our school different," said Simbas Mair, 54 years, the school's Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) assistant chairman and also a teacher and senior assistant for student affairs at St Bernard. "With so many places of interest nearby, we felt we had the strengths to make a resort-style school. Not only would it help our students but it would also transform our boarding school and make it stand out," he explained. A common problem in rural schools concerns student enrollment and attendance. Due to low population density and lack of access to roads and other infrastructure, hostels are very often a necessity to ensure students are able to consistently attend classes and have access to teachers and educational resources. One of the reasons behind setting up a resort-style school was that by providing an attractive and safe environment, students would feel motivated to stay in school and parents would feel comfortable sending their children away from home to study. Indeed, this approach appears to have achieved its goal. "The environment and facilities here are better than what our students have at home. They feel happy to be here and the parents feel happy to send their children to school," Simbas noted. Presently, the school only offers boarding for primary school students but has submitted an application to open a hostel for about 20 pre-school pupils. Simbas added that the school had to ensure at least 80 per cent attendance of students enrolled to keep pre-school classes open in accordance with Education Ministry requirements The school hopes its application will be approved soon to resolve the problem of fluctuating attendance and ensure the school can continue to offer pre-school classes. Garden surroundings Creating the ambiance of a resort was no easy undertaking for a small rural boarding school like St Bernard, recalled Paulus Jerome, the co-ordinator for the school's beautification programme and also a pre-school teacher at the school. One of the first things they focused on was landscaping. "Initially, people didn't understand our rationale and questioned why we wanted to do it. Now, people don't question anymore but actually come forward to help because they can see the benefits for themselves," the 52-year-old said. Since the beautification programme started three years ago, the school has been gradually transformed into a tranquil green space planted with shady trees and other native species and incorporating local culture and influences. This also includes fish ponds, art sculptures, a gazebo, a man-made waterfall feature and even a small museum hosted in a type of traditional dwelling called panggau asar. The school has been crowned champion two years in a row in the Mission School category in the Padawan Municipal Council's (MPP) annual landscape project since it first took part three years ago (the first year, it placed third). In last year's competition, the school was awarded the Jury's Special Award for managing to place in the top three for three consecutive years. Community effort During an interview last December, headmaster Edward Peter Bajat said these achievements were possible because of the co-operation between the school and parents to not only beautify the school and improve its security but also create a comfortable environment for the students. The school's beautification efforts have also been greatly boosted with help and support from MPP and volunteers from various non-profit groups and corporate entities. More than 1,000 plants were donated by the MPP to be planted in and around the school compound. A nearby luxury eco-resort also supplied specimens of native plants as well as generously extended the professional services of their horticulturalist to help the school design and plan their landscaping. Once a week, parents, teachers and villagers come together in a work party to carry out general landscaping duties and ensure that the school compound remains clean and kept. Many of the cheerful and colourful murals which decorate the walls of various buildings were painted by volunteers and visitors. The communal spirit of gotong-royong at St Bernard's also extends well beyond just the landscaping. Since April this year, St Bernard started an after-school programme whereby parents and volunteers would come by for one and a half hours every evening from Monday to Thursday after dinner to help students with their homework. There are activities such as singing and playing games to add variety to hostel life and encourage the students to interact with and feel comfortable around different people. There are also church workers coming in to help conduct religious classes, and volunteers to tutor students on basic skills like reading and writing. So far, the response had been quite encouraging and the pupils seemed to enjoy it, Paulus noted. "It has made a positive difference," Simbas concurred. Recent additions In recent years, the school has also managed to upgrade existing facilities as well as build a number of new buildings – thanks to over half a million ringgit in government grants and funding. The new buildings include hostels, teachers' quarters, toilets, a science lab, a sports equipment store and a car shed. Wherever possible, local influences are incorporated into the buildings such as a small, bamboo balcony – a common feature in many of the local village homes – in the girls' hostel where the occupants can relax and enjoy the scenery with their friends after school. "We included this feature because it's something reminiscent of home and can help them to feel more comfortable while they are away from their families," Simbas said. However, one addition the school is particularly proud of is their brand new dining hall called Anjung Sri Spisa, named after a native bamboo plant (spisa) which grows throughout the area. With a simple but modern design, a portable sound system, circular tables with lazy susans, restaurant style lighting, and a large flat-screen TV, the dining hall looks nothing like your typical school canteen. Part of the students' daily routine is to take turns to serve their fellow pupils. "They learn how to serve food and drinks, clean the tables as well as proper food hygiene. They also take turns to wash the plates, cups and utensils. This place is kept so clean that you will hardly ever find flies in here," Paulus shared. Nevertheless, due to limited resources, much of the work to transform the school gets done by hand to keep costs down and stretch every ringgit. Expenses are further controlled by building their own furniture and carrying out maintenance work themselves, he said. During a recent visit by thesundaypost, the normally busy school was deserted as students had just been dismissed for their Gawai holidays a few days earlier. However, what could clearly be seen was the pride in the eyes and voices of school staff as they showed a few visitors around the premises. One of the school's prized attractions is a crystal river just behind the school. It's a popular feature with visitors who make full use of the opportunity to take a cooling dip in one of its many clear, shallow pools. There is now only one temporary open air shelter next to it but the school hopes to convert it into a more permanent structure so that more visitors can spend more time by the river. Homestay experience St Bernard's vision of a resort-style school is gaining recognition among their peers and has earned praises from various government agencies, including Education Ministry officials who visited the school recently. Thanks to an arrangement with a local homestay operator, the school is also turning into a tourist attraction with a number of visitors from all over the world having already stopped by to admire it. Right now, the school does not charge for entry. However, having a resort-style school is just the first step in long-term plans for the school's development. In the long-run, the PIBG also hopes to make use of the school's attractions to offer homestay services. There are plans to build small chalets by the clear-water river behind the school as well as within the school compound. Profits will be channelled back to the PIBG and used for school development activities as well as to subsidise other expenses. The main objective is to help the school to be more self-sufficient. "It will also be a chance for students to practise speaking English and help them get used to interacting with tourists. Eventually, we would also like to use the homestay to teach our students life skills they can use such as managing expenses, keeping basic accounts, serving food and drinks, and what it means by good customer service. Of course, this will be done outside of school hours and under the supervision of teachers and adults," Simbas explained. It is hoped imparting such skills will improve the students' confidence and provide them better employment prospects once they leave school. Just last month, a pre-Gawai and thanksgiving cum launching ceremony for its resort-style school concept was held at St Bernard. The ceremony was officiated at by Tarat assemblyman Datuk Roland Sagah. |
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