Strive to make Miri regional hub for Sea Scout, members told

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Young Scout members from Sarawak recite their pledge.

Young Scout members from Sarawak recite their pledge.

MIRI: The Scouts here have been challenged to realise the plan to make this city the regional centre for Sea Scout, apart from encouraging more youths to join the movement.

Assistant Minister of Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin said Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who is also patron of Sarawak Scout, recently proposed for a regional Sea Scout academy to be set up here in view of its strategic location in Asean.

“It is timely that such an academy be set up in Miri, which has beautiful beaches and is strategically located in Asean — making it easier for our neighbours like Sabah, Brunei and Indonesia to train their Sea Scouts,” he said in closing the Fourth Seaboree Sarawak and Second National Sea Scout Convention 2015 here yesterday.

Lee, who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem at the ceremony, also urged the Scout chapters across the region to have more members attending its ‘Seaborees’ and conventions going forward.

“You need to attract more members to come and take the opportunity in acquiring skills and knowledge being presented during events such as this, apart from enhancing greater cooperation and understanding among the Scouts,” he said.

Lee, who is also patron of the just-concluded event, assured participants of his continuing support including allocations of government funds, adding that he had pledged RM10,000 for the Miri Sea Scout to allow them carry out various activities.

Earlier, Sarawak Sea Scout chief commissioner Sudaryo Osman said he was confident that with strong support from relevant authorities and also the spirit of volunteerism among members of the movement, the dream to have a regional Sea Scout Academy here would become a reality soon. “The success of this week-long seaboreee and convention is a clear manifestation of the strong cooperation from all of you. I’m truly happy with the high level of teamwork shown by the participants from Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, and Indonesia (Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Riau and Sulawesi),” he said.

The ceremony was witnessed by Miri Mayor Lawrence Lai, Sarawak Sea Scout deputy chief commissioner Said Bolhassan with its commissioner Bolhassan Abdul Latif and National Sea Scout secretariat chairman Azmi Ujang.