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Yachting challenge spooked by abductions in <b>Sabah</b> – BorneoPost <b>...</b> Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

Yachting challenge spooked by abductions in <b>Sabah</b> – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:41 AM PDT

MIRI: The recent highly-publicised abductions off the coasts of Sabah are affecting the 11th Borneo International Yachting Challenge (BIYC) somewhat.

For instance, as at 2pm yesterday, the race secretariat registered only 30 boats for the Miri-Labuan-Kota Kinabalu Challenge even though it had received 44 online registrations.

"Due to unknown reasons, some (of those who registered online) decided not to participate in this year's edition," said the Miri Working Committee chairman Troy Yaw yesterday.

He believed some boat owners were scared of sailing in this region, particularly in Sabah waters, following the abductions.

"Due to these high-profile abduction case, sailors are staying away from sailing along Sabah waters as they considered it unsafe.

"They are not covered by insurance should something happened to them or their boats."

In addition, Yaw said some of the interested participants were probably taking part in other races and events in Thailand and the Philippines.

"There are quite a number of events around this region. In Thailand alone, there are around four boating events.  There are similar events in the Philippines and Hong Kong."

On a related matter, Yaw said his committee was working together with navy and maritime authorities to ensure no untoward incidents happened to the participants and officials during the event.

Meanwhile, joint main organising committee co-chairman Datuk Lee Kim Shin, who is also Assistant Minister of Sports, said the committee hoped Borneo International Yachting Challenge would be sanctioned and be part of the Asian Yachting Circuit.

"If we are part of the Asian Yachting Circuit, I believe it will attract more boats, particularly in the International Racing Class (IRC). This will give BIYC an international profile," said Lee.

Lee also revealed that the committee had appealed for assistance and support from Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysia Tourism and Promotional Board.

"BIYC is the only sailing or yachting event in this region, particularly on the Island of Borneo. Therefore, we need financial and other help to develop and promote it as the event here. It will bring in a lot of benefits for the tourism and service industry."

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<b>Sabah</b> seeks RM500 mln for school upgrade - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 16 May 2014 09:04 AM PDT

by Rebecca Chong. Posted on May 17, 2014, Saturday

KOTA KINABALU: The federal government had allocated RM10 million for five schools that were damaged by fire in Sabah this year, said Education Department director Datuk Jame Alip.

The five schools are SM Pekan Kiulu, Tuaran and SK Gadong, Beaufort in March; SK Simpangan, Kota Marudu and SK Tampasak, Papar in early May; and SK Penimbawan, Tuaran last Thursday.

According to Jame, RM500 million more would be sought from the federal government to ensure the wiring and physical condition of 855 primary schools and 216 secondary schools in Sabah are at optimal level in terms of safety, as well as to upgrade these schools.

"We find that a total of 640 schools, including primary and secondary schools in Sabah, are still utilizing buildings that are still made of wood with old wiring, so we are planning to start a committee from the state Education Department and the Public Works Department to appoint consultants to determine the safety of all these schools," he said.

Jame denied accusations from the public that the fire in the schools were a result of sabotage.

"The schools were old and had wooden buildings. We believe the fire was caused by the hot weather and also the wiring condition of these schools," he told in a press conference at Terminal One International Airport yesterday.

"Some cases also occurred after office hours, which gave the possibility that the electrical equipment in the schools were not shut off and overheated," he said, and added that SK Penimbawan, Tuaran was built in 1979.

Jame said the five affected schools were currently equipped with tables and chairs and that the school facilities and buildings would be rebuilt as soon as possible.

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Call to help alcoholics in <b>Sabah</b> - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 10 May 2014 09:55 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: The Intervention Group for Alcohol Misuse (IGAM) Sabah under the Malaysian Medical Relief Society has proposed that alcoholic beverage producers in Malaysia set up a rehabilitation centre for alcoholics.

Dr Wilfred John Samuel, the deputy chairperson of IGAM Sabah, said that companies which earn money from producing and selling alcoholic beverages should be responsible for the rehabilitation or intervention for those who are categorized as alcoholics in the state and the country.

"There is currently no rehabilitation center for those who are facing alcohol-addiction problems, so alcoholics in Sabah can only be treated at the mental institution here, and that is not suitable," he said.

Dr Wilfred, who was speaking to the Borneo Post after conducting the IGAM Workshop at the Tang Dynasty Park Hotel in Karamunsing yesterday, said that to date, there is only one support group known as Anonymous Alcoholic (AA) for alcoholics in Sabah.

"The AA group is a support group for sober alcoholics and alcoholics who are trying to stop drinking, in which it serves as a platform for them to share and discuss on the ways to stay sober and avoid relapsing," he stated.

However, Samuel said, that the AA group is not enough to help reduce alcoholics throughout Sabah, which is the reason for IGAM to organize the IGAM Workshop every year since 2007 which aims to train local community leaders from different parts of Sabah to become trainers.

"The objective of the workshop was to develop grassroots leaders who would have the capacity to organize community-based alcohol intervention programmes in their respective locality and village," he added.

Over 60 local community leaders attended the workshop, and 90% of them attended the workshop for the first time. To date, the workshop which is held for the 7th time this year, had produced more than 300 trainers for the alcohol prevention programme.

"We also want the people of Sabah to understand the relationship between culture and drinking.

"Sabahans often believe that drinking alcohol is part of their culture. It is true that some races in Sabah like the KadazanDusun and Rungus have the custom of drinking homemade alcoholic beverages, however, drinking until one is drunk is never part of any culture.

"It is the matter of the amount of the drink. For example, if drinking coffee is a culture, it does not mean that people should drink seven glasses of coffee at one time," he explained and at the same time pointed out that Sabahans' mindset of drinking alcohol should be changed.

Other than that, the workshop yesterday also explained the harm and danger of drinking excessive alcohol.

"Being drunk is also called being intoxicated, and toxic is poison, which means being intoxicated is when someone's body is poisoned," Samuel clarified.

Another issue which was highlighted during the workshop was the financial ability of the locals to purchase alcohol beverages.

"The National Statistics Department had ranked Sabah the poorest state in Malaysia. After conducting some research, we found that a lot of the people who have the habit of drinking spent a lot of money in a year for alcohol, and we want to help them stop," he stressed.

Meanwhile, Dr Wendy Shoesmith, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) revealed the figure from her research in the year 2011 that 17% of the population of Sabah were heavy alcohol drinkers, and about 50% of them drink in a hazardous way.

Her research also indicated that 25% of the population in Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Kudat and Pitas were heavy alcohol drinkers, and half of them drank in a hazardous way.

"The problem we have in Sabah is binge drinking, but only less than 1% of Sabah's population are alcohol-dependent," she said.

The workshop was organized by IGAM in collaboration with UMS and the Sabah State Health Department.

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TalentCorp fair in <b>Sabah</b> focuses on jobs in tourism, O&G <b>...</b>

Posted: 20 May 2014 10:04 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp) yesterday organised its first Sector Focus Career Fair (SFCF) in Sabah which connected graduates with employers offering career opportunities in Malaysia's tourism, agriculture, oil & gas and accounting sectors.

The two-day event was held at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and was officiated by Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Industrial Development of Sabah.

The career fair, which will end today, enabled graduates to engage with chief executives and senior HR practitioners from more than 30 participating companies including Petronas, Media Prima Berhad, UEM Environment, SP Setia Bhd and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

There were also career talks by prominent industry figures such as Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Harris Mohd Salleh, the sixth Chief Minister of Sabah; Dato' Yasmin Mahmood, CEO, YTL Communications; and John Britto, CEO, Royal Institution Group of Companies.

Other activities included speed interviews, networking sessions, student and industry engagement programmes, academic and research exhibitions.

During the event, Tan said, "The government has expended efforts to provide employment opportunities to the people as well as to provide training to improve the skills and employability of graduates, thereby increasing the quality and work ethics of graduates who will be entering the workforce.

"Graduates should grab the opportunity provided in the expo and to prepare for future career opportunities."

"The role of a student in university is vastly different from the working environment as every action and behaviour will have an impact on company performance.

The success of a company is dependent on work excellence and ethics," said Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah, Vice Chancellor of UMS.

He also urged the graduates to continually strive for excellence in the workforce.

"We are pleased to partner UMS and bring the SFCF series to Sabah as it enables leading employers to scout for potential talent here.

"More importantly, it gives Sabah-based graduates the opportunity to meet some of the country's leading employers and obtain career insight from these experts which will help them enhance their marketability," said Johan Mahmood Merican, CEO of TalentCorp. — Bernama

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<b>Sabah</b> steps up efforts to combat drug offences – BorneoPost Online <b>...</b>

Posted: 21 May 2014 10:54 AM PDT

SANDAKAN: Surprise roadblocks and urine tests conducted on target groups were among measures taken to combat drug-related offences in Sabah.

Sabah Anti-Drug Action Council chairman Datuk Jainab Datuk Ahmad Ayid said these measures were not meant to frighten or inconvenience the public but were among steps taken to curtail drug offences.

Jainab, who is also Sabah Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister, said from January till yesterday, the National Anti-Drug Agency had conducted 25 roadblocks in the state with the assistance of other agencies.

"Of 1,129 people screened, 64 were tested positive for drugs," she said here today.

Three of 80 people screened during a joint operations at a roadblock at Km 2 Jalan Utara here yesterday were tested positive for drugs.

Ten summonses were issued by the traffic police, 23 summonses and 14 notices were issued by the Road Transport Department, five compounds by the Health Ministry and eight arrests were made by the Immigration Department.

The joint operation involved 119 enforcement personnel from various agencies. — BERNAMA

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