Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg
KUCHING: Foundation organisations like Yayasan Sarawak play vital roles in helping the state and nation to build a better and brighter future for children, especially the vulnerable ones, through further education.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg noted that given the best opportunities to education, children can access the greater world and most importantly, can contribute to developing the state and nation.
He pointed out the two important aspects to develop broad-minded Malaysian children – first, the higher education institutions as avenue to gain knowledge and secondly, the institutions that provide financial aid and other assistance.
“Even if we have many higher education institutions, but without a foundation that can help in financing (children’s studies), these institutions will be empty.
“Only those financially able will be pursuing higher studies in the institutions. Thus, the financially disadvantaged children will be left out from pursuing studies without financial support,” he said at the dinner gathering of Yayasan Sarawak and Pemuafakatan Badan Ilmiah Nasional (Pembina) with the Chief Minister on Tuesday.
The event was held in conjunction with the 27th Yayasan Leadership Cooperation Ceremony (MKKY) held at Yayasan Sarawak, Petra Jaya here.
Abang Johari pointed out that the late Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Yakub established Yayasan Sarawak with the intention to help children achieve what they deserve through giving them financial aid and other assistance.
“Since its establishment, we have sent our children to study locally and and to the Peninsula. As a result of Yayasan Sarawak’s support, today we have young capable leaders like Minister of Works Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Assistant Minister of Rural Electricity Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi,” he named the role models who have benefited from Yayasan Sarawak.
Abang Johari revealed that he had also received assistance from Yayasan Sarawak to pursue his Masters degree.
Among those present were Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong, Assistant Minister of Education and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee, Pembina Board of Directors member Senator Tan Sri Dr Ibrahim Shah Abu Shah and Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang.