TWENTY Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) high scorers went on a three-day education familiarisation tour of Kuala Lumpur under MASwings ‘Our Children Our Future’ project to foster academic excellence among Malaysia’s future generations.
EDUCATIONAL TRIP: The students and teachers at Subang airport. In the background is MASwings ATR 72-500 aircraft.
The students were from eight rural primary schools in Sarawak and Sabah. They were and accompanied by 10 teachers.
MASwings also invited the media from the two East Malaysian states along to share the experience.
Among the programmes were visits to Malaysia Airlines Complex in Subang and the Planetarium and Petrosains in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).
The highlight was a tea reception, hosted by Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansur, wife of the Prime Minister, at Seri Perdana.
For the four-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur, the group gathered at Miri Trails Guesthouse where they were met by MASwings staff. It was an exciting moment — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — for the students who got to explore the ATR 72-500 aircraft that flew them to the national capital. Who knows, one day some of them might decide to become a pilot or an air steward.
At Subang airport, the group were warmly greeted by MASwings managing director Dato’ Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani and MASwings staff amidst the beats of kompang.
Souvenirs were presented to the students and teachers. This was followed by a briefing at the Malaysia Airlines Complex from Abdul Rashid Sharif, MAS manager Staff Affairs and Human Resources of Engineering and Maintenance Division.
Later, the group were taken on a tour of the engineering and maintenance building, the hangar and the training centre in the Complex. At the training centre, the group were shown an ATR72-500 aircraft simulator for enhancing crew efficiency.
The following day, the group visited the Planetarium and the tunnel-shaped aquarium before heading to the science gallery. They were treated to a popular cartoon animation ‘Upin Ipin’ at the Planetarium.
The next stop was Petrosains in the same building. Here, the group took about three hours to explore the exhibition gallery, showcasing the ‘wonders’ of science and technology related to the petroleum industry.
At KLCC, the group watched the 3-D animation cartoon of ‘Rapunzel’. It was something new to most of them.
For dinner, the popular Nasi Kandar was served.
Early the next day, before tarvelling to Putrajaya for a date at Seri Perdana, the group toured Kuala Lumpur city in Malaysia’s famous Hop-On Hop-Off bus, soaking in the view in a two-hour drive on the double-decker from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya. Along the way, they saw the new Istana Negara and another landmark still under construction.
Finally, on reaching Putrajaya, the group toured the area and lunched at Alamanda Shopping Mall before arriving at Seri Perdana around 2pm. There, the students performed the ngajat, and a traditional Sabah dance to the tune of a Gunung Kinabalu song for their gracious host.
Rosmah is patron of MASwings ‘Our Children Our Future’ project, a top-priority in MASwings community agenda.
At the tea reception, Rosmah handed over school bags and uniforms to the students. Also present was MAS managing director and MASwings chairman Dato’ Seri Azmil Zahruddin Raja Aziz.
The trip was a great opportunity for the students to experience life outside their rural settings.
A student of SK Pekan 2 Pitas Sabah, Cerollyn Carmila said she was happy to have had the opportunity her to visit other parts of the country.
“Thanks to MASwings for the familiarisation trip. It was an eye-opener,” she said.
Cerollyn’s friend, Beatrice Rinai Joannes, said she was grateful her hard work in obtaining As in UPSR had been rewarded by MASwings.
The eight rural schools from Sarawak are Sk Long Banga, SK Long Akah, SK Ba’Kelalan, Sk Bario, SK Mulu, SK Long Lellang, Long Seridan and SK Marudi. The two schools from Sabah are SK Rusop Pitas and SK Pekan 2 Pitas, in Tawau.