Sardon presenting prizes to second place winner SMK Agama Miri witnessed by (from left) Salina, Dr Rita, Alias (fifth left) and Siti (sixth right).
MIRI: The state government welcomes efforts to enhance appreciation of science, mathematics and technology that play important roles in all aspects of life especially in this era of globalisation and technology.
Sibuti MP Datuk Ahmad Lai Bujang said such efforts are inline with the govenrment’s focus on digital economy as a catalyst for the state to reach out to global businesses.
“Thus exposure to programmes like this Science, Mathematics and Technology Week could encourage creativity and innovation that challenge the minds and thinking in solving problems and at the same time create new invention and improvement,” he said yesterday in a speech read by Cr Sardon Zainal at the opening of the 6th Science, Mathematics and Technology (SMT) Week here.
Ahmad Lai was optimistic that Sarawak would have a pool of potential inventors and scientists on par if not better than their counterparts in their respective fields.
SMT was jointly organised by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, (Pustaka) Miri, the Education Department, Miri Local Agenda 21 (LA21), Miri Young Innovators and Technocrates ( MyIT) and the National Population and Family Development Board.
Also present were Miri District Deputy Education Officer Alias Ngah (representing Dr Hassan Hasbollah,Miri District Education Officer), Miri LA21 officer Dayang Siti Nurbaya Awang Kipli, Dr Rita Manurung (Pustaka Negeri Sarawak Management Board) and Pustaka Miri’s regional manager Salina Zawawi.
Earlier in his speech Alias said the activities held during SMT Week was also inline with the LA21 community developmet programme to make 3R – reduce, reuse and recycle a culture or way of life for the community.
“At the same time it provides an ideal platform to expose the younger generation with interest in innovation to join innovation competitions and spur them to go global,” he said.
Alias also informed that MyIT, a programme under the Miri District Education Office, founded by Dr Hassan and established in 2015 had enabled Miri to achieve great success at all levels.
Among the recent successes were Gerald Chung and Hwang Jin Lok from SMK ST Columba winning silver at the Sarawak Invention, Innovation & Design Exposition (Siidex) in the Student Category 2018.
MyIT deputy advisor Voon Choon Teck and president Dr Ling Mei Ting won two bronze medals in the teachers’ category of the exposition.
At the international level Kelab Reka Cipta dan Inovasi, SMK St Columba won the gold in World Youth Innovation Award WYIE 2017.
He hoped these successes would inspire parents to continue giving their support to their children to be actively involved in innovation activities.