ONGKILI IN CURTIN

To underscore its commitment to make the country competitive globally,the Malaysian Government allocated RM4.3 billion under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) for research fund, said the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili.

“I argued vehemently against any cut in research fund due to the current economic situation during the last Cabinet meeting,and my Cabinet colleagues saw the critical need to continue supporting research work. They were saying don't touch the research grants. So a portion of the intended cut in research fund were put back and hopefully we will continue to be able to support research for the sake of the new economy the country is aiming for which is based on science and technology,” said Ongkili.

He said this when addressing researchers in Curtin University of Technology Sarawak Campus yesterday.

Present also were the deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, the Assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Lee Kim Shin and the Dean Associate Professor Joan Gribble.

Ongkili expressed satisfaction with the university for its research effort.

Of the eight Curtin's ongoing externally funded research projects, five were funded by MOSTI.

“From what I saw, those are the kinds of things MOSTI are promoting. Your research is right on track and you are right in the centre of thing,” said Ongkili.

He was particularly attracted to the research by the university on Hardware and Software Design of Body Sensor Network Device, funded by MOSTI.

Another research which was particularly relevant to the country was Development of a Compartmented Fluidized-Bed Gasifier for Syngas Production and Power Generation from Biomass (palm wastes).

“I am personally biased toward biomass. This will be the jewel of research priority. Anyone addressing this part of research effort is sure to get millions of ringgit in research funding from my ministry. Every year 1 million of oil palm trees are being cut down and left to waste. If these wastes can be processed into ethanol, so there is a need to carry out research in this area,” said Ongkili.

“I encourage you to move on with your research effort in this university. For the next six months, I will be visiting all the universities who have received research grants from MOSTI, to see the progress of their research,” he added. ENDS with photo.

Caption: 08-8ongkili7: RESEARCH CUTTING EDGE: Ongkili (seated third from left) with the researchers and staff of Curtin. Lee is to his left.

SEALINK DEBUT

Sarawak-based ship builder, owner and operator, Sealink International Berhad and one of the few integrated service providers in the Malaysian offshore oil and gas industry, yesterday made its debut on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.

The company floated 128.37 million Sealink shares at RM1.25 per share through an Offer for Sale and a Public Issue exercise.

The company’s Public Issue will raise gross proceeds of approximately RM141.71 million which will be utilized, amongst others for the expansion of shipyards and fleets.

The company will be expanding its current fleet of 29 vessels to 40 vessels in the next three years and project to invest in access of RM300 million over the next three years for this expansion.

The company is also expecting to invest RM50 to 100 million over the next three years to upgrade the capabilities of its shipyards to increase production capacity from 15 vessels per year currently to 20 vessels per year.

Sealink has two shipyards located in Miri to cater to its shipbuilding activities. For the financial year ended 31st December 2007, shipbuilding contributed approximately 73% of revenue or RM118 million and 57% of gross profit or RM34 million.

The company’s chartering of vessels continues to be its focus in drawing long term income stream and currently contributes about 27% or RM44 million to Group revenue.

Sealink’s current fleet of 29 vessels consists of landing craft, multi-purpose vessels, tugboats, barge, supply vessel, utility vessel and passenger vessel.

To-date Sealink’s customers include both local and international companies from the United State of America, Australia, China, India, Latin America, Europe, East Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Sealink’s export market contributed 80% or RM131 million to last financial year’s revenue.

For financial year ended 31st December 2007, the Company recorded revenue of RM162.7 million and RM58.9 million of gross profit. The cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of Sealink's revenue for the past 4 years is 96% while the CAGR of its profit after tax is 60%.

Celebrating the historic occasion of the company were several key board members.
Caption:From Left to Right: Datuk Michael Hardin, Executive Chairman; Wong Chie Bin, Executive Director; Eric Khoo Chuan Syn, Executive Director; Sam Yong, CEO & Deputy Managing Director; Yong Foh Choi, Managing Director.

Golf for Girls

Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (MALGA) yesterday announced that 140 lady golfers from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei Darrusalam have confirmed their participation in the MALGA Golf Challenge 2008-Eastern Zone to be held on July 30 2008 at Kelab Golf Miri (KGM) and July 31 2008 at Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club Miri.

The executive director of MALGA Rabeahtul Aloya Abbas said that the association together with the KGM's lady captain Marilyn Raja Wright and her organising committee has been able to create a wave of excitement for the participants to take part in this unique 2-day regional tournament by getting the support and cooperation of the lady captains from the various golf clubs in the region.

The MALGA president Tunku Dato Seri Jawahir bt Tuanku Ja'afar will also be present to take part and lead this two-day event.

MALGA is also thankful to the local sponsors that has been pouring in sponsorship to support this inaugural event in Miri that includes Proton Persona car donated by Datin Annie Lau, the wife of KGM captain Datuk Jimmy Lau, Modenas motorcycle and holiday packages to Perth by Lau Ki Kiong of Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club.

The prize giving dinner on July 31 will be hosted by Sarawak Tourism Board.

As part of MALGA's aggressive grassroot development programme which is more affectionately known as “Golf for Girls”, a two-day Junior Camp will also be conducted by MALGA's coach Neil Douglas for the juniors from 12 schools in Miri taking part in this programme since last year. Sixty girls from the primary schools have been handpicked last month by the coach to take part and sharpen their skills over the two days.

Rabeahtul also stressed that this programme will not be a success without the support of the local community, the Education Department, teachers, parents and corporate sponsors.

To show MALGA's appreciation to the serious efforts of the local community to implement the programme in Miri, Rabeahtul yesterday handed over 50 junior golf sets to the schools. These golf sets came all the way and sponsored by R & A Ltd Scotland, UK in support and recognition to MALGA's effort in promoting the game among the junior players. ENDS.

Caption:BIG SPONSOR: Rabeahtul (front third from right) receiving the sponsorship from Annie as other committee members look on.

INDIGENOUS CULTURE FOR TOURISM

The huge Baram district in the Miri Division, home to the colourful indigenous tribal people have one identifiable industry that has the potential to attract world attention-tourism based on the unique cultures of the indigenous people themselves.

“The asset of the indigenous people is their colourful and interesting cultures. If we can market the culture of our indigenous people in Baram to the outside world, we can attract tourists who are interested in the cultures and traditions of the indigenous people. I believe our people can take part in this industry and will directly benefit from it. Our people cannot possibly take part in oil palm plantation industry because this industry require big capital and expertise,” said the Telang Usan assemblyman Lihan Jok.

He said this when officiating the Orang Ulu Tradition Dance Documentation Workshop recently.

Present also were the organising chairperson Elizabeth Deng, the paramount chief of the Orang Ulu Miri Division Temenggong Pahang Ding, the executive secretary of Social Development and Urbanisation Council Aisyah Idris, the assistant secretary from the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation Usop Kilat and the researcher from the council Knot Atok.

The workshop, jointly organised by the council and the federation of orang ulu associations Malaysia (FORUM) was attended by about 50 participants from the various ethnic Orang Ulu associations.

Lihan said for the indigenous people to realize the dream of the Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib of one industry one division, they have to focus on what they have at hand, that is their rich culture.

Taib recently said he mooted the idea of “one industry for one division” with the hope of improving the livelihood of the people, particularly those in rural areas.

He urged political leaders in all divisions to identify the industries with the potentials to bring the most benefit to the people.

He was quoted as saying, “We need to bring the people to get involved in our development process, so it be good if we can have one industry for one division,”.

Baram itself had seen the timber industry booming in the early 1980s and now the oil palm industry being carried by giant companies.

But the indigenous people living in Baram especially the semi-nomadic Penans opposed such industries in the past because they felt displaced and marginalised by such developments taking place in their areas.

Touching on the workshop, Lihan said it was timely and appropriate to be held so that a consensus can be reached among the diverse Orang Ulu ethnic groups as to the dance to be performed during official functions like welcoming dignitaries.

“We do not want our traditional dance like the Datun Julud and Liling to be adulterated with the passing of time,” said Lihan.ENDS.

Caption: OUR CULTURE OUR PRODUCT: Lihan beating the gong to officiate the workshop witnessed by other invited guests.

Taib's son meet party youth leaders in Miri

The deputy minister of Tourism Datuk Seri Sulaiman Taib while on a working visit to Miri recently took the time to meet PBB party youth leaders.

Sulaiman who is also the vice youth head of the state PBB Youth Exco took the opportunity to get to know the youth leaders in Miri up close.

The party youth leaders meanwhile use the little time they had with Sulaiman to brief the latter of the development of the members in Miri.

Among those youth leaders present were the state PBB youth deputy information chief councillor Dennis Ngau Jok, PBB Piasau youth chief Yahya Salim, PBB Senadin youth chief Suhaili Draman,PBB Lambir youth chief councillor Baharuddin Tani and PBB Bekenu youth chief Yusof Bujang. ENDS.

Caption: INFORMAL MEETING: Sulaiman (fifth from left) with the youth leaders.

JABU PROMISES MEGA ECONOMIC LEAP FOR BARAM

The state government will carry out poverty eradication projects outside SCORE by way of the five agropolitan projects spread evenly through out the state, said the deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu ak Numpang.

He said the five agropolitan projects are at Pulau Bruit, Bukit Sadok, Tanjong Bijat, Batang Sadong and Kedaya Telang Usan.

“I want to see all these projects to take shape,” said Jabu who is also the Minister of Rural Development.

He said this after meeting a high level Orang Ulu delegation from Baram at the Miri Airport recently.

The delegation, led by Telang Usan assemblyman Lihan Jok comprised the heads of several Orang Ulu associations.

Touching on the Kedaya Telang Usan project, Jabu said a thorough study needed to be carried out.

“This is because the implementation of the project must be done systematically because it is a difficult project to be carried out. This entails the support of everybody,” said Jabu.

“I am prepared to sit down with the Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia (FORUM) to discuss about the project. My approach is I want to take a very objective look at the project. We must not rush things or else we will miss out. We must be very focus in our approach. My target is eight years, for the next eight years we must work hard,” he added.

Earlier on, Jabu was talking about a mega economic leap for the huge Baram district through the Kedaya Telang Usan agropolitan project, exploiting its rich natural resources by focusing on eco-tourism.

Baram district has been exploited for its timber, with several timber companies making billions of ringgit profits by extracting timber from the area.

The next wave of economic development is oil palm plantations in the fertile region of Baram, home to several indigenous peoples like the Kayans, the Kenyahs, the Kelabits and the semi-nomadic Penans.

After a half-century of independence from colonial rule, the indigenous people of Baram are hungry for economic development like the rest of the people in the country.

Basic necessities like the supply of clean water and electricity and good roads are yet to be enjoyed by the majority of the poor indigenous people in the interior of Baram known as Kedaya Telang Usan

JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF THE LAND OF THE HEADHUNTERS

I took a 15-minute boat ride from Long Dunin to Long Subeng along the Tinjar river with our local assmblyman YB Lihan. Long Subeng is only accessible by river, although Long Dunin is accessible by road from Miri-which is about 5-hour back breaking journey by 4WD vehicle through treacherous logging roads.

You might be wondering why the black faces. Well, it's the custom of the tribal people in the olden days when visitors leave the longhouse, the maidens would use soot from cooking pots to blacken the faces of the male visitors- a way of saying goodbye. It is believed that the visitors would have fond memories of their visit and the blacken faces would remind them of the ones who did the good job. So the next time you visit a tribal longhouse in Baram be prepared for this age-old custom of saying goodbye. One thing though, you can retaliate by blackening the faces of your attackers, that is if you can get your hands on the cooking pots and all...