VERY COLOUFUL: An impressive floating stage in the middle of the river for the opening of the regatta while longboats await the signal to start the race. l See also Page 22 for pictorial
Project is aimed at meeting educational needs of students in northern Sarawak
LIMBANG: Sarawak has proposed the setting up of the state’s fourth Mara Junior Science College in Lawas to meet the educational needs of outstanding students in the northern part of the state.
Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud explained that the new MRSM would complement the rapid development enjoyed by Lawas in Limbang division currently.
“Lawas can be the site of the new MRSM college in northern Sarawak,” he said at the launching Pesta Lawas here yesterday.
On May 24, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal was quoted in Betong as saying that the federal cabinet had approved the construction of a new MRSM in northern Sarawak with the location yet to be identified as discussions were still ongoing with the state government on suitable sites.
Shafie said the new college would be built under the current Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP). There are currently 46 MRSM colleges nationwide, three of which are in Kuching, Mukah and Betong.
Taib also hit out at Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) critics who claimed that the economic corridor would only benefit nearby towns like Sibu and Bintulu.
“The idea that the project should be spread throughout the state so that many can get equal economic opportunities are outdated,” he said, adding that SCORE would create many spin-off economic employment opportunities just like the oil and gas industry in Bintulu and Miri.
“Like in Bintulu, there are those as far as from Sarikei and Sibu who benefited from the spin-off effects, with many working or setting up business in Bintulu.”
SCORE is located in the state’s central region and stretches 320km along the coast from Tanjung Manis in Mukah to Similajau in Bintulu and extends into the hinterland, covering remote, semi-urban and urban centres of growth.
Launched in 2008, SCORE is expected to be one of the main growth drivers to enhance more cluster-based industries once fully developed, especially so with the priority industries: oil-based, aluminium, steel, glass, tourism, palm oil, timber-based, livestock, aquaculture, and marine engineering.
Meanwhile, Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Lawas and Limbang would continue to be BN strongholds in the coming general election as it had benefitted much from the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Taib.
He attributed the transformation of Lawas from oil palm smallholdings to major estate development and entrepreneurship to opportunities made available by the BN government.
“We call upon our Chief Minister to continue leading us for the sake of the future of our future generations.”
Among those present were Taib’s wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Awang Asfia Awang Nassar, Malaysian Broadcasting director-general Datuk Norhyati Ismail, State Secretary Datuk Amar Morshidi Abdul Gani, and Assistant Ministers Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, Datuk Peter Nansian and Julaihi Narawi.
This year’s carnival is made even merrier with the holding of a state-wide Marketing Expo and RTM’s Gegar Olimpik.