Mohammed Irwan Aman

Dr Pablo Cardinale

Rodolfo Azanza

KUCHING: Incorporating sustainability into hydropower business practices and throughout the value chain is a complex and demanding process.

However, companies can benefit much by incorporating international industry standards such as the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) into their business practices, SN Aboitiz’s CSR/CDM and business development manager Rodolfo Azanza told delegates at the International Hydropower Association (IHA) World Congress here yesterday.

He shared about how his company had used the protocol’s framework to good effect during its takeover of the Binga hydroelectric power plant to assess the situation and identify areas for improvement.

This included technical upgrading of the plant, improving health and safety by cleaning up and removing hazardous substances, creating 150 jobs and a CSR fund for the local community, reforesting affected areas with fruit-bearing trees, and convincing the Philippine government to return surrounding lands not required by the power plant or the authorities back to the local people for self-administration.

Rodolfo saw much potential for the protocol to be utilised across a wide range of uses by the private and government sector, such as a reference for constructing and operating complex hydro projects, as an assessment tool for building bids or financial models for acquisitions; and as a government’s condition for granting hydro-development licences.

However, there are at least four common challenges which need to be continually addressed in order to make sustainability work, cautioned International Finance Corporation senior environmental specialist Dr Pablo Cardinale.

He pinpointed open and constant communication between the engineers, environmentalists, academics, activists and affected communities as the first challenge.

“Constant communication and understanding through the assessment process is essential, but it’s not always there. Communities have accused companies of not being transparent, but it’s not because they are not being transparent but it’s because people doing the engagement don’t really understand how it works or how it’s going to impact them.”

The second challenge involved shifting paradigms about hydropower sustainability because traditionally the impact and environment assessment process used to be focused on the project, instead of taking into account other criteria such as the management of watershed areas, he said.

He identified the process of obtaining free, prior and informed consent from indigenous people and affected communities as the third challenge.

The fourth challenge was cross cutting, which required continuous, meaningful and good-faith engagement and negotiation with stakeholders, as well as learning from mistakes.

Rodolfo and Dr Pablo were among speakers during yesterday morning’s plenary session ‘Incorporating Sustainability into Business Practices’.

Also in the panel was Sarawak Energy Berhad sustainability manager Mohammed Irwan Aman who shared about the company’s efforts over the past one and half years to incorporate sustainability into its business processes.

He said the company was still in the beginning stages but were committed to seeing it through.

Yesterday was the last day of the congress.

Before this, our YBs had often complained they were overworked and underpaid and most had to find other ways and means to supplement their income to serve their constituents.

Former Ba Kelalan assemblyman Datuk Nelson Ballang Rining used to confide in me that returning to visit his kawasan on weekends would cost him, at least, RM3,000 for air tickets, lodging and transportation to this remotest constituency in the state, not forgetting, of course, the extras he had to coughed up in case the people needed his help.

Because of the financial constraint, he was only able to visit his kawasan twice a month. And that, he said, was already very taxing.

Well, that will be a thing of the past now after the new salary scheme was announced on Tuesday by Minister of Finance II Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh to give our YBs that extra financial omph so that they can perform their duties more effectively.

With the adjustment, all our YBs will be drawing at least RM15,000 per month. This is a 200 per cent jump from their previous salaries.

On top of that, they are also entitled to allowances of RM5,000 for urban-based YBs and RM7,500 for rural-based YBs.

Before the new salary scheme, an ordinary assemblyman and woman only received a salary of RM4,500 per month and another RM3,500 in allowances.

From the YBs’ point of view, the increment is, indeed, timely. First, it will definitely mean lessening of their personal monthly financial burden as most of them are having families and also a host of other commitments such as mortgages and their children’s education.

Secondly, the increment should serve to motivate them to go the extra mile as they are now having better capacity to do what they are supposed to do – serving the rakyat!

Now a rural-based YB will be getting RM22,500 and an urban-based YB RM20,000. And four of our YBs will be getting additional RM9,000 per month as they are also political secretaries to the Chief Minister.

These four YBs will now be drawing a whooping RM29,000 per month.

Moreover, they can always fall back on their MRP funds to serve their constituents.

The new salary scheme must now be translated into actual performances to improve the welfare of the people who will expect nothing less nor tolerate inaction if they are looking for extra “kang tau.”

The better financial perks should also motivate the YBs to try to outdo each other so that there is a healthy competition among them in vying for recognition as the “most dedicated” YBs.

Alter all, if they are really dedicated, the people will definitely reward them by returning them to power during elections. On the other hand, if the YBs do not perform up to the mark, it’s either the party the YBs belong or the people they represent who will reject them come election time.

For me, the YBs’ job is quite simple – they just need to be there whenever their services are needed, which normally vary from place to place and depending on the people they serve.

The other most important thing we expect from our YBs is that whatever promises they have made must be fulfilled.

What this really means is that we do not want our YBs to make empty promises!

These are not tall orders. After all, the people know they can’t expect their YBs to perform miracles! Sometimes what the people really need is for their YBs to lend an ever ready ear to their frustrations.

And with salary hikes for especially our assistant ministers, ministers, senior ministers, deputy chief minister and chief minister, the expectations of the rakyat will now be surely higher not only to justify the three-fold increment but most importantly, also that if the elected representatives, including the cabinet members, really want to stay on, they have to serve the rakyat well because at the end of the day it’s the rakyat who will decide who they want to not only serve them but also to serve them well.

AmBank through its Kelab AmBank Group (KAG), a sports and recreational club, sponsored the children as they were brought for Gawai shopping at the Boulevard Shopping Mall here followed by a dinner at a restaurant at the shopping mall.

The children were given RM50 and a RM150 shopping voucher each under a charity event organised by the club called ‘KAG Hari Gawai Charity Event Sarawak Region’. KAG also donated RM5,000 to YLK.

The launching ceremony of the charity event was held on Tuesday.

According to KAG president Syed Anuar Syed Ali, this was the first time that the club had held such a programme in the state.

“Apart from doing this for charity and observing the Gawai celebration, we also want this event to be an event that promotes tolerance, unity and harmony among the various people and communities here in Malaysia,” Syed Anuar who is also a former Lasalle school student said.

He also pointed out that such projects are important to help promote charity homes as well as

to help foster closer relationship between KAG members in East Malaysia and the less fortunate in line with the club’s objective of contributing to society.

YLK chairman Peter Yap thanked the club for organising a community programme like this.

“I am happy that KAG has included YLK in their corporate social responsibility programmes and I would like to extend my sincere appreciation. This will certainly be a memorable Gawai celebration for us,” he added.

YLK is dependent on generous support from former students, corporate organisations and caring members of the public for its operating expenses.

YLK is a non-profit organisation which was formed in 2002 to help improve the education of local kids (Primary 5 and 6) living in rural areas and the urban poor. It is run by volunteers who give free tuition to them. There are currently eight YLK centres located in the Kuching division.

The Tokoh Guru Sarawak 2013 award went to Mohamed Zain Abang Ismail, while the Tokoh Kepimpinan Pendidikan Sarawak award went to Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong.

They received their awards from Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Wednesday.

Prior to his retirement, Mohamed Zain was Tun Abdul Razak Teacher-Training Institute Kota Samarahan director and was also education officer for Limbang Division, Sri Aman Division and Miri/Bintulu Division.

During his tenure as education officer, he contributed greatly to the quality of education including introducing educational television programmes for Primary 5 pupils such as ‘Datuk Patinggi Ali’ and the ‘Big Book Project’.

Meanwhile, Manyin was the principal of SMK Tebakang and Kolej DPAH Abdillah before he retired in 1995.

He also taught at SMK Serian and Kolej Tun Datuk Tuanku Haji Bujang in Miri, served as acting principal at SMK Bau and SMK Saratok as well as a senior assistant at SMK Serian.

JEALOUS RAGE: The woman points to her injuries.

SIBU: A 20-year-old woman’s jealous admirer allegedly head-butted her on Wednesday resulting in a black eye and fractured nose.

The woman said her 22-year-old admirer known as ‘Boy’ went to her house at Lai Chee Lane at 3.20pm in a jealous rage.

He allegedly tried to knock her head against a wall and hit her with a helmet but she somehow managed to fend him off.

Not satisfied, the man then allegedly head-butted her in the face.

She sought treatment at the Sibu Hospital and then lodged a police report.

The woman said the man’s anger had stemmed from his belief that she had a boyfriend although she did not.

The incident happened at her house at Jalan Tanjung here.

The cut is believed to be three centimetres deep and almost reached her skull.

The father of the girl immediately sent her to Miri Hospital at about 1am. According to sources, the girl’s parents were having an argument on the day of the incident when the mother suddenly grabbed a pair of scissors and hurled it at her husband.

Unfortunately, she missed her husband and stabbed the girl instead. The father lodged a police report on the same day at about 3am at Miri Central Police Station.

According to sources, police have nabbed the mother and the case is being investigated under Section 325 of the Penal Code.

The 30-year-old told police he arrived at his house at Taman Sri Perkasa around 10.30pm on Thursday and saw the place had been ransacked by burglars.

Among the items stolen included RM500 in cash, gold jewellery, a digital camera, a wristwatch and a tablet computer.

Loss was estimated at more than RM8,000.

It is believed the burglars entered the house by forcing open a window in the kitchen.

Police are investigating.

The van driver in his 30s had driven the vehicle back to his house at Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Road at 10pm on Wednesday.

The next day, his mother woke him up at 7am to tell him the van had disappeared.

A police report was lodged.

Meanwhile, 10 barrels of liquid, believed to be oil, were stolen from a warehouse at Sungai Antu.

The warehouse’s 61-year-old supervisor lodged a police report saying that he discovered the barrels were missing when he arrived for work.

He said there was no sign of forced entry on any of the doors.

Police are investigating both cases.

The man, in his 40s, said the text messages were from an Indonesian number.

The messages also demanded that he transport the maid’s body back to Indonesia.

According to the man, he hired the maid through an agent two years ago but did not know she was suffering from AIDS.

He said she recently lost a lot of weight and became very sick, prompting him to take her to the hospital.

A blood test then revealed that she was suffering from the disease.

She died at the hospital on April 28.

The man added that he was worried about the health of his family members as the maid had been living with them for two years.

Kidurong assemblyman Chiew Ching Sing highlighted that foreign workers should only be taken in on certain skills and only when local talents and skills are lacking.

“It seems that hopes are dashed when the companies began to recruit more foreign workers and are taking over their jobs,” he told the august House Thursday.

He cited the case where a group of 2,000 locals workers banded together and demonstrated at the SCORE site in Samalaju earlier this year to ask companies involved to reduce the number of foreign workers, estimated to be pushing 8,000 on sites.

“Most of the local workers were from rural areas with only secondary school qualifications while some came back from Semenanjung Malaysia who willingly worked in such conditions so to be close with their families,” he said.

“According to the local workers, the companies had brought in the foreign workers to replace terminated and retrenched local workers,” he added.

In addition, Chiew pointed out that local workers were being treated unfairly as compared to foreign labourers who were paid higher and given better lodging, transportation and skill training programmes.

“The local workers were generally afraid and they felt that the practice had not been fair and is a discrimination on them,” he said.

“The government should never neglect the well-being of our local labourers, both semi-skilled and skilled workers, at the expense of keeping the direct investment (FDI) environment attractive,” he stated.

Chiew also urged the government to review its policies and procedures to allow local workers to continue to be employed in the SCORE projects.

“We should pursue a sustainable development approach in our efforts to progress the country,” he added.

Meanwhile, Chiew highlighted that many cancer patients, both locals and outstations, receiving chemotherapy treatment at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) were very unhappy with how things were run there.

Taking note of the heavy load and insufficient facilities at the chemo centre, he said the problems have persisted for too long.

“Patients are frustrated waiting for their turn to do blood test before proceeding to chemotherapy. And some, after the blood test, don’t have not enough time to do chemo,” he said.

“Considering those from outstation who bought return flight tickets, it will be unfair to make them ‘burn’ their tickets and then extend their stay because hospital facilities are insufficient to accommodate all patients,” he added.

As such, he urged SGH to urgently provide more efficient service and enhance the healing process of cancer patients instead of adding to their burden.

Taking into account the growing population coupled with increasing number of commercial buildings, Christina Chiew (DAP-Batu Kawah) highlighted Batu Kawa Road would face massive traffic jams in the foreseeable future.

Noting that Batu Kawa Bridge is expected to be completed by the middle of June, Chiew was worried that the congestion would be directed to Jalan Desa Wira.

“Therefore, immediate remedy must be taken to ensure that this problem can be reduced in the near future,” she told the august House during the debate on the Head of State’s address Thursday.

Chiew suggested a study on the construction of a three-lane road at the junction of Jalan Desa Wira to be undertaken. “Apart from that, the operation of the traffic lights in terms of timing and the usage of sensors must be taken into account as the current traffic lights fail to ease traffic congestion especially in the morning,” she added.

Chiew asked the government to consider these two important factors in their planning. On another matter, Chiew said the general and maternity clinic located at Batu Kawa Bazaar needs to be reopened to cater to nearby residents who are mostly from the lower income group, rather than making them visit the new polyclinic at MJC.

“I understand the reason for the closure which was due to the low number of patients. But not all residents can travel the distance because a large group of them do not even own cars or motorbikes,” she explained.

“Also, it is not convenient for residents, especially those staying deep inside Batu Kawa such as Kampung Sejijak, Kampung Segubang, Kim Choo Seng and Rantau Panjang to travel on public transport available at intervals of one to two hours daily,” she said.

Chiew added that any alternative such as the opening of 1Malaysia clinic or a fixed regular opening interval of the clinic is most welcomed. Chiew also pointed out the project to supply electricity to residents in Kampung Semaba and Kampung Bumbok under the Rural Electrification Scheme, which started a year ago, with no likely completion date in sight, leaving residents in the dark.

According to her, the Kampung Semaba project was handled by a company called Revenue Scope Sdn Bhd and divided into two phases involving 87 applicants.

“However, phase 1 with 71 applicants has not even been completed, what more to say for phase 2,” she said.

“It is even worst for the 80 houses in Kampung Bumbok whose project under Esawin Resources Sdn Bhd has been going on for two years and is still not completed,” she added.

Chiew urged the government to look into this matter seriously and urgently as such a long delay and excuses were no longer acceptable nor tolerable.

In saying this, Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg elaborated among areas identified for such a development will be areas near the river leading to Kubah Ria.

“The programme will be a benchmark for urban development with more to come in future,” he said.

Abang Johari said this when officiating at the opening of the pedestrian walk and bicycle lane at Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub-Jalan Stadium-Jalan Siol Kanan at the State Library here yesterday.

The project aims to encourage people, especially the younger generation, to lead a healthy lifestyle, he added.

“For example, in Berlin or Australia, bicycle lanes were provided along rivers with very nice views and we want to follow in their footsteps to promote a healthy lifestyle of exercising,” he stated.

The urban younger generation tend to face heath problems like obesity due to their poor eating habits and lack of exercise, he said.

“(As such), we hope they will take the initiative to start exercising by cycling or walking with the facilities provided by the government,” he added.

Meanwhile, he also said that a marine police station will be built near the Bintangor River.

“I have seen some tourists wanting to go sight-seeing at night along the river. They (the marine police) will be provided with jet-skis to facilitate them to patrol the river so that visitors will be kept safe,” he stated.

More than 300 cyclists took part in the cycling activity at the newly built 4.7km long pedestrian walk and bicycle
lane of Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub-Jalan Stadium-Jalan Siol Kanan which cost about RM700,000.

The construction started on Nov 1 last year and was fully completed on April 8 this year.

Pantai Damai assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, district police chief ACP Roslan Bek Ahmad and Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) director Dr Saadiah Samad also took part in the cycling event after the opening ceremony.

ENE (East Malaysia) Sdn Bhd spokesperson Nancy Henry said the recipients will include longhouse folk as well as underprivileged children and senior citizens.

“This year Magnum Group of Companies will be distributing RM40,350 to two welfare and charitable homes, two schools and 10 villages and longhouses across Sarawak.

“Approximately 500 senior citizens and children from various welfare and charitable institutions and kampungs will be receiving festive goodies in the form of ang pows, foodstuff and cash donations to celebrate the forthcoming Gawai with joy and happiness,” Nancy said during a presentation ceremony at Kampung Karu, Jalan Puncak Borneo near here yesterday.

She said Magnum’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) teams will visit the various venues to distribute the gifts and lift spirits.

“In essence, during this joyous festive season, Magnum Group of Companies hopes to light up the spirit of the less fortunate to welcome the festival with cheerful smiles and a happy heart.

“It also exhibits the Magnum Cares spirit of sharing and caring for the needy ones in our society,” she said.

During the presentation yesterday, senior citizens from three villages in the Penrissen area — Kampung Garu, Kampung Garung and Kampung Semadang received gifts and ang pows.

Other villages on the list are Serasot and Skibang in Bau as well as the Cahaya Kasih Serasot Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) centre.

In Serian District the team will visit SK St Anthony Kawan, Pinchin, SK St Dominic Tebakang and Kampung Pichin.

For Sibu, the Magnum Cares team will visit Rumah Chendang, Rumah Umar, Rumah Rangau and Rumah Jonathan Ebang, Sg Assam, Rumah Bungan Jaya and St John’s Ambulance Haemodialysis Centre.

In Miri and Bintulu, the Magnum Cares have picked the MRC Sunflower Centre and Rumah Panjang Jarau Sungai Plan respectively.

After an hour of heart-stopping challenge, Marshall Tan, 25, emerged as the grand prize winner and drove home the car after guessing the correct number of balloons filled in the VW Polo Sedan yesterday.

Tan’s guess was 250, the closest to the actual number of 232 balloons filled in the car.

“It was unbelievable. I never thought I could win because I personally think the challenges were tough, especially the ‘extreme nutstacker’ game and guessing the number of balloons in the car,” said Tan.

The contestants had to work their way through four challenges namely ‘Find the Alphabets in the Flour’, ‘Tilt A Cup’, ‘Extreme Nutstacker’ and ‘Guess The Number of Balloons’, which kicked-off the challenge and determined the final winner.

When met during the interview with tHe Spring Advertising and Promotion (A&P) manager Ronald Ling, he said there were 1,000 spenders who spent RM555 and above at tHe Spring but only 10 contestants were chosen randomly to participate in the challenge.

“There are four challenges in which the 10 contestants must participate in, in order to win the grand prize and I thank Ismaco Automotive Sdn Bhd for sponsoring this big event,” said Ronald.

The other winners of tHe Spring’s 5th Anniversary Lucky Draw shall be officially announced on tHe Spring’s Facebook page. Winners will go home with an Osim Divine App Massage Chair (first prize), jewellery from Habib Jewels (second Prize) and a Sony KDL-55 EX720 LCD TV (third Prize) plus other attractive prizes worth a grand total of RM180,000 from Pandora, Eu Yan Sang, Clarins, Guess, Takiong, Syarikat Tat Lee and Parkson.

According to a well-placed source, while Mambong will retain the name, the other parliamentary seat to be created shall be named Siniawan.

The redelineation will also affect Bengoh state seat and be split into two, and a new seat created to be named Serumbu.

Bengoh seat will be maintained.

The source also said Tarat and Bengoh state seats will still be under Mambong, while Siniawan will cover Serumbu and some of the villages that are presently under Tasik Biru.

Under the redelineation, a few villages, Kpg Git, Ngiru and Bawang situated along Jalan Puncak Borneo, which are presently under Mambong parliamentary seats, will fall under Siniawan.

The source added that the redelineation will start next year and the new electoral constituencies will be used in the coming state election expected in 2016.

Meanwhile, Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said a study on the redelineation, which was postponed two years ago, will begin soon.

This exercise should have been conducted in 2011 as the last one was done in 2003, but had to be postponed until after the 13th general election.

“The review and redelineation of the parliamentary and state constituencies have to be carried out as the constitution stipulates that the EC has to carry out the exercise once every eight years,” Wan Ahmad was quoted by Bernama yesterday.

Presently, Sarawak has 71 state and 31 parliamentary seats, and allocated among the four state Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties – Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

For the state seats, PBB is allocated with 35 seats, SUPP (19), PRS (9) and SPDP (8).

PBB is also allocated with the most parliamentary seats with 14 seats, SUPP (7), PRS (6) and SPDP (4).

The agency is working out the details and the team will deliberate further with the state and other stakeholders on the project, Fadillah, who is Petra Jaya MP, told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He said this when asked if the ministry had any plan in the pipeline to carry out improvement works on these identified spots along the trunk road to better safeguard the safety of road users.

The state Road Safety Department (JKJR) director Davina Agnes Enteli reportedly told a press conference in Miri on Thursday that the 15 black spots were identified following frequent accidents, including fatal cases, on the particular stretches, out of which two were in Miri.

Davina reminded road users to exercise extra care when driving through the 15 identified black spots.

Meanwhile, the Pan Borneo trunk road is expected to be busy with celebrants and holidaymakers as the Gawai Dayak celebration is just around the corner.

Selangau MP Datuk Joseph Entulu in anticipating that the Selangau/Sibu road would be heavy with the ‘balik kampung’ crowds, reminded road users to take precautionary measures, including taking enough rest before making the long trip.

“Make frequent stopovers at designated places if one feels tired to take a break and freshen up,” said Entulu, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

He advised road users to keep to safe speed throughout the journey and reduce speed during poor visibility in bad weather.

“Always be on alert while on the road and take extra precautions when nearing accident-prone areas or black spots,” he pointed out.

State JKJR assistant director Redzuan Hamdan advised, “We would like to advise road users plying the Borneo trunk road to be extra careful and not to rush as impatience is one of the factors that can lead to accidents.

“As we all know Sarawak has no highways and we have not been able to construct enough overtaking lanes, it is very important for us to adapt our driving behaviour to the present condition,” he noted.

“Always mind our speed with the road condition and avoid overtaking at blind corners, when approaching hill slopes and at junctions,” he urged.

Travel company managing director Robert Tan said Sibu has many gems to offer to this segment of tourists.

“From traditional longhouses, food to jungle trekking. But for that to happen, it is imperative that the perennial request for a Sibu-Singapore route be made a reality.

“For starters, the flight could be on a weekly basis before progressing to daily. The new airline Malindo perhaps, can seriously consider serving the market,” he suggested.

He pointed out that Kuching has four airlines flying that route while Miri has two.

Tan complained that domestic tourists from the peninsula could be reluctant to travel here if the airfare for the Sibu-Kuala Lumpur route remains high.

He said currently a return ticket for the Kuala Lumpur-Hong Kong route was just RM700.

“Ideally, we should target Singapore, which is a gateway for international tourists,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tan said bookings have been heavy in the run-up to Gawai Dayak.

Air fares have also risen steeply with Sibu-Kuala Lumpur tickets costing between RM600 and RM700 one way.

He added that outbound seats were still manageable while bookings were high for inbound travel as many were returning for Gawai.

The project is implemented by the state Public Works Department (JKR) while the Sarawak Museum Department will be responsible to set up the local Heritage Museum with the input from a conservation architect
and a specialist consultant.

According to a press release from the Sarawak Heritage Society (SHS), this conservation project is an opportunity to engage relevant stakeholders on the importance of preserving local cultural heritage.

On May 28 and 29, SHS will take the lead to initiate a community-based cultural heritage conservation programme called ‘Reminiscence Forgotten Treasure Simanggang’.

This is SHS’s second series of the much acclaimed community programme first implemented in Siniawan called “Reminiscence Forgotten Treasure Siniawan”.

This community-based project aims to promote awareness in cultural heritage conservation in Sri Aman. It is a community based project organised through non-government organisations (NGOs), professional bodies, local community organisations and individuals without government and political interference.

This project is solely funded by SHS, co-organiser Malaysian Institute of Architects Sarawak Chapter (PAMSC) and their corporate partner NS Bluescope Lysaght (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (Lysaght).

Simanggang Soon Heng Society (SSHS), the local partner, will play an important role in the programme implementation and logistic coordination.

This project is also supported by Jabatan Muzium Sarawak (JMS) and The Talents and Arts Performing Group (WuJiaoJi).

The programme will start with an initial core group consisting of local school children.

The organisers are also encouraging participation from the Chinese, Iban and Malay communities that have shaped and contributed to the development of this historical township.

Among the activities to be held are talks, site visits and workshops to expose the core group on the concept of heritage (tangible and intangible) and the importance of heritage conservation.

The participants will be taken to the Fort Alice conservation site regularly to observe the process in conserving this historical building. Local communities are encouraged to form a volunteer group as ‘Friend of Fort Alice’ (FoFA) to support the Sarawak Museum Department in the set-up and operation of the Heritage Museum.

They can be trained with sufficient knowledge to be the future ‘Guides and Guardians’ of the museum.

SmartWard had won a place as one of the 20 top startup teams, and captured a coveted spot in the Seedcamp accelerator programme that was declared the top European accelerator in 2011.

“Dr Michelle will retire as a doctor with NHS Hospital in Nottingham, and join the startup company at Google’s campus in Shoreditch technology hub in London this July as its CEO, to focus on SmartWard development to deliver a beta version for a three-month trial run,” said her mother Diana Yeoh who was an educator at a local private school in Riam here.

As the spouse of newly elected Miri MP Dr Michael Teo, Yeoh was excited to learn of her daughter’s latest achievement after completion of her medical housemanship in the UK last year.

According to Yeoh, after Dr Michelle won seed funding in Germany, the UK decided that NHS (National Health System) hospitals must go digital, with NHS Health secretary Jeremy Hunt announcing a government budget of 260 million pound.

“Dr Michelle plans to meet up with the Health secretary to recommend SmartWard,” she added.

Subsequently, SmartWard will be introduced to hospitals here and elsewhere in the world, which is a smart application accessible through smartphones and tablets to improve patient care and save lives.

Last November, Dr Michelle’s SmartWard won the London Startup Weekend competition; topped the charts for Local Startup Weekends around the world; and went on to win third place in the Global Startup Battle 2012.

As a practising doctor and entrepreneur, Dr Michelle managed to build a strong, nine-person team, including current business partner, award-winning UX designer Jacopo Marcantonio.

The team used Dr Michelle’s firsthand perspective while working in a cancer ward to differentiate SmartWard, observing that “software built for doctors often doesn’t take into account what doctors really do.”

She outlined two main problems – ward management relying on pieces of paper that get skipped over, lost, or not handed over; and that none of the doctors know who is supposed to be around.

Shockingly, 1,000 patients die each month from hospital errors in the UK alone, hence SmartWard was designed to overcome such problems by reducing human error, streamlining ward communication involving rapidly changing information and critical tasks for patient care into one place.

“I want to build a product that is so good, it would be ethically wrong not to use it,” she added.

It recently released two books, Ai Ditetak Enda Putus (‘The River Cannot Be Cut Off’) by Janang Ensiring and Terutu Jemu Ambun Lemai (‘Evening Dew’) by Jantan Umbat.

“So far there are 3,000 copies printed for each of the novels, under a PIP subsidiary company Borneo Media Solutions (BMS), and are now available in bookstores in major towns in Sarawak,” Chuat disclosed to The Borneo Post here recently.

In this context, he invites writers of Iban novels to get in touch with him, assuring them that they would get lucrative royalties in return.

Besides novels, BMS is also working on Iban-Iban dictionaries that are being compiled by Chuat and another writer Nalong Buda.

“As of now, they are 80 per cent completed and are expected to be published soon,” Chuat said on the latest development of his venture.

He added the dictionaries are different from other Iban dictionaries as they contain staunch Iban words and scientific names with in-depth meanings such as of the names of certain trees, wood, roots and grasses.

Chuat said the dictionaries would be much lighter and handy to carry in a bag and also most suitable for schoolchildren.

On his next project, Chuat said: “I hope to publish more reading materials in Iban like reference books, magazines and story books in the future to be in tandem with BMS’ vision to preserve and protect the Iban language from extinction.”

He regretted that the younger generation these days had too much external influence and tended to mix languages, instead of using pure Iban language.

As such, he fervently hoped the publication of his dictionaries could help protect the language.

Meanwhile, according to Chuat, PIP had also published reference books for college and university students and an Iban magazine called Pegari.