Nor Fariza (second left) receiving her award from Maximus.
KOTA MARUDU: Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili has nothing but good words for Yayasan Sabah.
When launching Yayasan Sabah and the People Roadshow here yesterday, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister said the foundation had helped many scholars to meet their dreams.
“I am proud to say that I am a Yayasan Sabah product, and like any other Yayasan Sabah products, I am grateful for the scholarship given to me which had enabled me to do my PhD,” he said when addressing some 1,000 roadshow attendees.
He said since its inception, Yayasan Sabah had done so much for the education of young Sabahans.
“Its education development programmes are to be praised and commended.
“Having said this, there is still room for improvement. More could be done, such as reactivating rural hostels to reduce school dropouts and bridge gaps between the urban and rural families, to mention some,” he said.
Maximus also advised students that the recipes for success in education were to set high goals, be disciplined and study smart.
“Most importantly is to listen to your teachers and obey your parents.”
At the event, two students each received RM1,000 from Yayasan Sabah for their outstanding performance in last year’s Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia examination, namely Afenyee Inggiu and Nor Fariza Marnoh.
The roadshow, among others, highlighted Yayasan Sabah Group Education Carnival as well as its Community Development Programme (PPM) which encompasses Program Desa Cemerlang dan Berinovasi, Pusat Kraftangan Sabah and Sabah International Convention Centre.
The PPM programmes were to empower and rebrand the Zones core programmes, formerly known as the Intellectual and Mind Development Programme, Socioeconomic Development Programme and Sociocultural Development Programme and also the open interview session for job seekers by JobsMalaysia.
Through Yayasan Sabah Group, its West Coast North Zone office in Kota Marudu, a total of 164 Sociocultural Development Programmes involving 17,315 participants were held during the period of 2005 to 2016. Meanwhile, 87 Socioeconomic Development Programmes involving 2,496 participants, and 292 Intellectual and Mind Development Programmes involving a total of 23,142 participants were also held for the same period. All three of these core programmes, 543 in total, have benefitted a total of 42,953 participants at a cost of RM695,130.
In the Yayasan Sabah Group’s West Coast North Zone also, a total of 625 children obtained their pre-school education from 2005 to 2016.
Besides this, Yayasan Sabah Group also provided education sponsorship for secondary school students and a total of 3,600 students received these scholarships at a cost of RM967,548 from 2005 to 2016.
In addition to that, a total of 3,143 students received the Special Assistance Scheme with the cost of RM320,000 from 2007 to 2016.
Through the Yayasan Sabah Bersama Rakyat Programme, the West Coast North Zone office implemented projects such as housing for the poor, repair of bridges, gravity pipe, home improvement and women’s entrepreneurship programmes.
During 2005 to 2016, a total of 1,492 people received the benefits at a cost of RM1.34 million for 93 projects.
In 2011, when the Handicraft Training Programme was introduced, a total of 770 people in the West North Coast Zone benefitted from it for the period of 2011 to 2016.
This programme is to help the public to produce handicrafts as their source of income while maintaining the culture for future generations.
Yayasan Sabah Group’s West Coast North Zone has also established the Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme/Women Small Business Loan Scheme in 2007.
From 2007 to 2016, a total of 107 participants benefitted from this scheme with funds amounting to RM161,208.
Since 2010 Yayasan Sabah Group also implemented a development programme for locals, known as the Program Desa Cemerlang dan Berinovasi (PDCB).
The programme is a continuation of the efforts to develop the rural communities concentrated in one village.
For Kota Belud, a total of 20 programmes were implemented benefitting 1,897 local people in Kampun Pandasan, Kota Belud.
Through PDCB, the Yayasan Sabah Group will continue to play an important role in complementing government’s efforts to ensure the transformation of the village and the local community can be materialised in accordance with the rural development direction.
Director of Yayasan Sabah, Datuk Sapawi Bin Haji Ahmad said in his speech, “On the whole, a total of 54,828 people in West Coast North Zone have benefitted from the Yayasan Sabah Group at a cost of RM6.23 million from 2005 to 2016.”
His speech was read by deputy director of Yayasan Sabah, Datuk Hajah Rosmawati Haji Lasuki.
“The YSBR will also provide us the opportunity to get feedback from the community on the programmes carried out by YSG over the years. The people’s feedback is important to us, so that we can improve our delivery system. This is also in line with the Prime Minister’s aspiration of People First, Performance Now,” he added.
During the YSBR roadshow, Nor Fariza Binti Marunoh and Afenyee Inggiu received the Top Student STPM Award presented by Maximus.
Members of the public were also entertained with performances by local artistes Esther Appolonius and Ampal.