Rosita (left) holding up Anak Sekolah rambutans while Farizan holds the Muar Gading rambutans. KUCHING: The public, especially families with children, should not miss the opportunity to experience fruit picking this fruit season at UiTM’s Pluck and Pack Rambutan 2015, said UiTM academic affairs deputy rector Assoc Prof Dr Rosita Suhaimi. She said fruit picking, for example for cherry and strawberry, has become one of the activities during the open days of universities overseas. “This event is a community engagement event to let the public see for themselves what we have at our Campus 1 here. It also gives opportunity to children and school children to experience fruit plucking like in fruit orchards because not many may have the chance to do so,” she ...

Nur Amirotil Jannah Juali showing her award and certificate KUCHING: Nur Amirotil Jannah Juali, 25, from Kampung Kesagaan Pitas, Kota Merudu, Sabah fulfilled her dad’s dream to see all his children have at least a certificate in Islamic studies. She successfully completed her course in Basic Islamic Studies at Institut Kemahiran Islam Malaysia Sarawak (Ikmas) in Telaga Air near here and was among the 20 studentswho received their certificates at the institute’s 13th graduation ceremony yesterday. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom officiated at the ceremony which was held at the institute. She made her family happy because she did not only complete the basic Islamic course but won the Basic Islamic Studies Certification ...

Poor air quality, hazy conditions in the state expected to linger on till end of next month Workers repairing a roof in Kuching. They are seemingly unperturbed by the haze that engulfed the city yesterday. — Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING: The deteriorating air quality and hazy conditions in several areas in the state are caused by transboundary haze from West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said many hotspots were detected in Indonesia: six in Kalimantan and 84 in Sumatera. “The haze we are experiencing is not from Sarawak. It is from Kalimantan due to the cycle of wind at Borneo Island, which has brought smoke from fires in Kalimantan to Sarawak,” he told a press conference yesterday.  As ...

A trainee at PDK Dalat, Stephen Lihai, 48, smiles as Tokuda (right) helps him with the spoon while his mother Seriah Gameng, 74, (left) and Fatimah (second right) look on. DALAT: The services of Community Rehabilitation Centres (PDK) statewide will be improved from time to time, according to Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah. She said establishment of PDK under the state’s Welfare Department (JKM) was to provide rehabilitation and therapy services to the disabled (OKU). She said one of the moves to improve PDK service was creating therapist posts under JKM. “JKM is receiving applications from diploma and degree holders for nine therapist posts on a contract basis. “The department needs three occupation therapists, ...

KUCHING: State power company Sarawak Energy is offering 50 scholarships this year to high performing students. Sarawak Energy launched the external scholarship programme in 2014. According to Sarawak Energy’s vice-president for People and Leadership Development, Siti Aisah Adenan, young Sarawakians who have done well academically in school and are active in extra-curricular activities are encouraged to apply. “Last year, when we first introduced the external scholarship programme, we received over a hundred applicants and upon selection, 30 were granted scholarships totalling RM1.35million. “Sarawak Energy will provide funds for tuition and examination fees for tertiary level scholars in various technical and non-technical disciplines at recognised ...

(From left) Jabu, accompanied by Dr Ngenang and Lai, inspecting the chicks. LONG BERUANG, Baram: Penan students in Baram set to graduate with a diploma or degree in the next four years have been promised a buffalo each. This challenge was thrown by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is also Minister of Rural Development, during his working visit to Long Beruang Penan Rural Service Centre in the interior of Baram last weekend. Deputy State Secretary Dato Ose Murang, Baram MP Anyi Ngau and Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, who accompanied Jabu during the visit, also joined the pledge of a buffalo for each Penan graduate in the next four years. The deputy chief minister noted that there had been an encouraging number of Penan students enrolling ...

State to request for funds for a mechanism to sync health graduates with market demand KUCHING: Sarawak will request for a special allocation from the federal government to set up a mechanism to sync the number of health graduates in the state with job availability. Assistant Minister of Public Health, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, said the state was keen to create a database of job opportunities in the private and public health sectors and keep data of graduates for employment-matching purposes. Pointing out that a high number of trained nurses here were currently working in other fields, Dr Jerip believed it was important for the government to coordinate with private institutions of higher learning to produce graduates accordingly to market demand. “To learn that healthcare ...

Sarawak has a literacy rate of over 90 per cent. The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) overseas schools at primary and secondary levels. Primary education usually begins in the child’s seventh year and continues for six years. Students usually enter secondary school in their 13th year, where they can continue for seven years until Upper Six to sit for Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) or Malaysian Higher School Certificate. This is required to enter public universities and is equivalent to A-Levels. Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Malaysian Certificate of Education is taken in the fifth year of secondary school and is equivalent to O-Levels. SPM can be used to enter public and private pre-university and matriculation ...

Ramli sharing his knowledge with the students on their final year project. BINTULU: The technical sector which requires highly skilled workers is now considered a first class profession in the world. Advanced Technology Training Centre (Adtec) Bintulu director Dr Ramli Rashidi said this is because highly skilled workers are paid based on their expertise — the more skills they have the higher their income. Unfortunately, the level of awareness and understanding of the importance of technical education in the state particularly among parents was still low, he lamented. “Parents’ support is vital to encourage their children to pick up technical education and vocational and technical field is no more a second class sector because many people have succeeded ...

KUCHING: The Labour Department will hold three programmes to provide assistance and training to housewives. Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the programmes will encourage housewives to work from home to generate their own income. “We are confident with the Labour Department in delivering the programmes. We hope more allocation will be given to Sarawak so that the programmes can be extended to more locations in the state. “These programmes will help women, especially housewives, of various categories,” she told a press conference following a courtesy call from Labour Department employment services head Rahman Bee yesterday. The programmes are 1Malaysia Support For Housewives, Housewives Enhancement and Reactive ...