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Write from the start - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

Write from the start - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:35 PM PDT

by Neville DCruz. Posted on June 26, 2014, Thursday

MELBOURNE: Even from the time she was a little girl, Amy Han, whose father is from Sarawak, had no doubt what she was going to be.

"I can't remember a time when I was not telling everybody I was going to grow up to be an author," the 29-year-old says.

"When I started school, I discovered how much I loved to write. I started making 'books', stapling paper together and copying out my favourite stories. I did not know it then, but that is actually an excellent way to get used to the act of writing, and also to learn how stories work".

Amy was born in Wellington, New Zealand, but moved to Australia with her parents – George, an IT project manager, and Yvonne, a lawyer.

"My dad grew up in Miri, Sarawak. His parents sent him to Wellington to finish high school and attend university, and it was at university that he met my mum.

"Mum grew up in Wellington but was born in Hong Kong. After my parents married and had their first child – me – we moved to Melbourne when I was eight months old".

Amy's artistic streak began to shine through from an early age.

"I was a very creative child," she says.

"I remember seeing toy kitchen sets being advertised on TV and, instead of asking my parents to buy me one, I went straight to my dad's study for cardboard, scissors and tape so I could make them myself. I made myself paper handbags complete with paper lipsticks and a paper mirror inside.

"I also loved to read, to watch mum read her big crime novels at night, and to listen to dad's bedtime stories, which were all about his childhood; all the mischief he got up to as a little boy growing up in Miri, Sarawak. It all seemed so foreign to me from my home in leafy, suburban, multicultural Doncaster (Melbourne) with my beloved pet cat.

"My favourite stories as a child were 'Fern Gully', the Selby series, the 'Little Princess' trilogy, and all of the fairy tales that were made into Disney films".

Amy has so far written and published two novels – 'Ru Dreaming in 2011', and 'Breaking Jumps' this year – as well as a collection of short stories and three picture books.

"Ru Dreaming is aimed at middle readers and is about a girl named Ru's first year in high school, and her sense of feeling torn between her oldest best friend and the new friends she is making, and not to mention the boy she has a crush on.

"Breaking Jumps is aimed at teenagers and young adults and follows two teenagers – Jess and Ollie – as they get to know each other over a dramatic night, escaping from a gang they become tangled up with, and saving a friend.

"The short story collection, 'A Trip to Somewhere Else', is an e-book of interlinked stories all alluding to questions about love, life, and what it means to follow your heart.

"The three picture books are out of print; they were a special project for which I collaborated with students at Doncaster Primary School – my old school.

The kids illustrated the books. It was fun to see how they interpreted each of the pages".

In 2012, Amy left a full-time job in marketing to pursue a business idea and dedicate more time to writing.

That idea has grown into Creative Write-it!, which aims to inspire and encourage young people through creative writing workshops.

"Currently I am still a one-woman show, but I hope to expand soon. I run weekly workshops, visit schools upon request and run holiday programmes.

"It has been a huge learning curve but also an incredibly rewarding experience as I continue to shape Creative Write-it! into 'that thing' I wished was around when I was a kid".

Amy says she would love to tour the world promoting her books when she becomes more well-known, and might one day consider a book launch in Miri to honour her Malaysian heritage, but for now she has plenty on her plate with Creative Write-It! and her own writing.

"I now have four ideas in the works for new novels, all aimed at kids or young adults. I think a part of me will always be young let's hope.

"They may not all make it to completion, but it's an exciting place to be".

Links:amyhan.com.au; creativewriteit.com.au — Bernama

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<b>Sarawak</b> set for good challenge in Sukma XIX – BorneoPost Online <b>...</b>

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 10:38 AM PDT

KUCHING: Sarawak can still pose a strong challenge for top tennis honours when it plays host to Sukma XIX in 2016 because it still have good players capable of delivering the goods.

Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association president Dato Patrick Liew said Sarawak are capable of defending their overall championship crown in two years time.

"I am not worried about the absence of Mohd Assri Merzuki and Ariez Elyaas Deen Heshaam (who will be over aged) because we still have young and quality players in our squad like Alvin Teng, Rohizat Achop and Kenneth Tan," said Liew.

He said Alvin and Rohizat had proven their worth in the recent Sukma XVII where they defeated their more experienced opponents in the men's doubles.

"I am confident that they can do better with more intensive training. We still need new players to fill in the gap now that the senior players have "retired'," added Liew.

"We do not have any problem with the girls squad as all the players including Aslina Chua are still available for Sukma 2016."

Liew said Aslina will be returning to US in August to further her studies and continue her training there while others including Belinda Chai, Cecelia Lai, Linda Liong and Alia Azman will continue with their usual training at SLTA tennis centre.

The training for the players will start as soon as possible.

"I am proposing to send a few players to undergo intensive training and competitions in West Malaysia and overseas if we have available funds."

"Apart from getting high quality training, our players can also compete in the tournaments over there to improve their game," said Liew.

At the recent Sukma XVII in Kangar, Perlis, Sarawak emerged the overall champions after capturing four gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

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SGA add <b>Sarawak</b> CM&#39;s Cup to its golfing calendar – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 09:16 AM PDT

by Ting Tieng Hee, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 25, 2014, Wednesday

KUCHING: The Sarawak Golf Association (SGA) has added another major event to its 2014 calendar.

The new event, The Sarawak Chief Minister's Cup Golf Championship, will be held at the Sarawak Golf Club from Aug 30 to Sept 1 (tentative dates).

"The Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem has given us his blessings to stage the championship," said SGA president Hoan Kee Hock at the close of the Sarawak Classic golf championship at KGS last Sunday.

When interviewed yesterday, Hoan said Adenan was a keen golfer interested in the development of the sport in the state and had called for more golf tournaments to be organised to enable all golfers to improve their standard.

"This will be another grand event and an international competition opened to amateur golfers from Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, Singapore and West Malaysia," said Hoan who took over as the new SGA president two months ago.

Other major SGA events include the Sarawak Open, Sibu Open, Bintulu Open and Miri Open.

At the end of the year, SGA will organise the SGA Cup which is a team challenge between Sarawak and Sabah.

"The chief minister also wished to see more youngsters taking up the sport and we are embarking
on a two-year programme to bring up the juniors," said Hoan who noted that some of the juniors are doing well in golf tournaments in the state.

This is part of the programme to prepare the young golfers for the challenge in Sukma XIX which Sarawak will host in 2016.

"SGA will also be hosting the Malaysian Amateur Open at KGS middle of next year where at least 18 countries will be taking part," Hoan disclosed.

He also confirmed that the Sarawak Classic 2015 will be elevated to an Open event where international golfers can also take part. "This is the wish of the event's patron Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam and SGA will give its fullest support to organise the event," he said.

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Possible &#39;legal&#39; route to curb glue-sniffing in <b>Sarawak</b> – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 12:26 PM PDT

by Peter Boon, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 26, 2014, Thursday

SIBU: States concerned with the glue-sniffing scourge may be able to curb it by tweaking the terms and conditions stipulated in trade and business licences.

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said emulating what Melaka had done might not be worthwhile as it might not be "legally enforceable" because regulations on glue sniffing might not be a state right.

"The motion (by Melaka) is good as advisory to the businesses and handlers of glue sniffing materials in the state, but I'm afraid it has little validity in law," he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

"However, states may, if they view it as expedient, include the terms and conditions of glue control and supervision in their trade and business licences issued by the state authority for those operating under their jurisdiction."

He said this when asked if Sarawak should emulate Melaka in approving a motion to control and restrict the sale of glue to curb glue-sniffing, which, Wan Junaidi admitted, is a major social issue in Sarawak as children as young as 10 years old are involved.

The Melaka Legislative Assembly approved the motion on Monday, making them the first state in the country to do so.

Bernama reported that the motion was proposed by BN Klebang assemblyman Lim Ban Hong and it was supported by 21 BN assemblymen and the PAS assemblyman for Bukit Baru, Dr Md Khalid Kassim. The six DAP elected representatives in the august House abstained.

Wan Junaidi said all enforcement agencies were under federal control. For example, the Police, Anti-drug Agency, Customs Department, and Immigration Department, among others, were federal agencies.

Even the power of extra police and security guard employed by state local councils derive their powers from federal laws and authorities, he added.

"We have to refer back to the Federal Constitution, which determines the authority of federal and states to make law, and where both state and federal governments have the concurrent right to make law."

Wan Junaidi said the Ministry of Home Affairs was seriously looking into the glue sniffing law.

He said he had studied the laws of other countries and personally instructed that a draft law be made for Cabinet decision as soon as possible.

"The draft is now being deliberated and studied by agencies in KDN (Ministry of Home Affairs) and other ministries.

"This is because it involves the Ministry of International Trade and Ministry of Consumer Affairs. We have to engage other stakeholders as well, including consumers and business associations."

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Record enrolment for Politeknik Kuching <b>Sarawak</b> – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 12:47 PM PDT

KUCHING: Politeknik Kuching Sarawak (PKS) in June 2014 enrolled 1,199 students – the highest intake in its 26 years of existence – to bring its total number of students to 4,800.

Between 30 and 40 per cent of those enrolled made PKS their first choice.

PKS director Clara Ong said the high number of the latest intake indicated that parents and the local community had confidence PKS would provide quality vocational and technical education.

"PKS has a proud and happy moment when 1,119 students enrolled for the June 2014 intake. That goes to show parents and the local community are becoming aware of the importance of vocational and technical education," she said.

She was speaking at PKS' 22nd convocation at Hotel Four Points which was officiated at by Housing Assistant Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, representing Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

A total of 872 students received their scroll at the ceremony which was divided into morning and afternoon sessions.

Ong said PKS would continue to form partnerships with industries to stay relevant with current needs.

She disclosed that PKS signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Swinburne Sarawak and Institute of Materials Malaysia (IMM) when SwakCREATE was held.

PKS has also signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with HERE Malaysia, and last year signed an MoU with Kolej Sunway Kuching.

An MoU will be signed with Land Surveyors Board Sarawak and Sabah Surveyors Board in the next few months, she added.

"We in PKS will continue to collaborate with industries to benefit students studying at PKS."

Ong invited PKS alumni to serve at the institution as lecturers, management officers, assistant accountants or technicians.

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18 festive items under scheme - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:47 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) has fixed the maximum price for 18 controlled items for 17 days, from July 20 to Aug 5, according to the Festive Season Price Control Scheme in conjunction with Aidilfitri.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Hasan Malek said the scheme would be implemented in accordance with the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 in 149 districts throughout the country during the Raya festive season. Aidilfitri is expected to fall on July 28.

Hasan said among the items were live chicken, standard chicken, super chicken, local beef, imported beef (maximum price in Sarawak only), imported buffalo meat, chicken eggs grades A, B, C, red chillies and tomatoes.

He was speaking at a press conference after the ministry's monthly gathering organised by the Cooperatives Commission of Malaysia, here, yesterdday. Other items were whole coconuts, desiccated coconut, shallots (India), imported onions, garlic (China), imported potatoes (China) and mackerel including the mabung (seven to 10 pieces per kilogramme).

In Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, the maximum price for each item would be based on the controlled price during the Pesta Kaamatan and Hari Gawai last May.

"However, the price of local beef in Sabah and Labuan is higher compared to that for Aidilfitri in 2013 as it is subject to market forces.

"At the same time, the maximum price for each item would differ according to the place, depending on several factors including the distance between the supplier and each district," he said.

Hasan warned traders that stern action would be taken against those who failed to observe the regulations under the scheme, including a fine of up to RM100,000 and imprisonment for individuals and a fine of up to RM500,000 for companies.

He said 1,800 enforcement officers from the ministry would be assigned to monitor the situation during the period. — Bernama

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