Awang Tengah (third left) together with Hasbi (right) wishing guests Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri at the event yesterday. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan wants more Bumiputera students to take up Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
He said this is because most of the industries today use modern technologies which require knowledge and skills in STEM.
“The world is changing. This is an area where we should dive in as without knowledge and skills, we will end up as mere bystanders,” he said at the ‘Badudun Aidilfitri’ event at Dewan Hikmah here yesterday, jointly organised by Pertubuhan Kebajikan Dangsanak Limbang Kuching and Persatuan Anak Jati Lawas.
He added that it is essential to be proficient in STEM given that the state is shifting towards the digital economy that can provide a plethora of economic opportunities.
For this reason, parents should encourage their children to take up STEM subjects, Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneurship Development, added.
On another note, he hoped that high ranking officers or professionals from Limbang and Lawas would come up with ideas and provide input on how to improve their hometowns.
“When you are back in your hometown, do not forget to share the knowledge on how to succeed in either agriculture or business with the people there,” he said, adding that this would provide the officers and professionals a chance to be directly involved in the state government’s vision of making Sarawak a developed state.
“This is also why I am hoping that both these associations will become a platform for the people in Limbang and Lawas to get to know each other and strengthen their relationships,” said Awang Tengah, who agreed to become the patron to Pertubuhan Kebajikan Dangsanak Limbang Kuching and Persatuan Anak Jati Lawas.
The other patron is Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Also speaking at the event was Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, who revealed that at least 10,000 people from Limbang and Lawas are currently residing in Kuching and about 1,200 of them were at the event yesterday.
Pertubuhan Kebajikan Dangsanak Limbang Kuching and Persatuan Anak Jati Lawas were formed in 2016 and 2014 respectively.
Abang Johari, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Limbang MP Hasbi Habibollah and Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang attended the event.