SOPB awards over RM70,000 in incentives to 258 students

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SOPB management team, teachers and YAA and SAP recipients pose for a group photo.

MIRI: Sarawak Oil Palms Berhad (SOPB) awarded a total of RM70,392.50 to 258 students from 35 primary and secondary schools in Sarawak under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes  – Young Achievers Award (YAA) and Student Adoption Programme (SAP) 2018.

Under the YAA programme, it awarded RM 28,800 to 178 students who had excelled in their UPSR, PT3, SPM and STPM examinations last year.

Under SAP, 80 students from low-income families were selected to receive one-off financial assistance including new school bags and stationeries. About RM37,704.50 worth of assistance were given out to recipients at a special handover ceremony held at SOPB Academy, Lambir recently.

The YAA programme aimed to inspire and motivate local youngsters towards academic excellence whilst SAP is part of the firm’s CSR initiatives to provide financial support to underprivileged children from primary and secondary schools for their educational needs who are living in the vicinity of the group’s operating areas.

SOPB’s head of sustainability Galau Melayong in his address at the presentation ceremony stressed that the company does not focus merely on its oil palms business but also aim to grow together with local communities by helping them through its various CSR initiatives.

“Our  CSR initiatives include YAA and SAP, health programme such as Vision Care, blood donation campaign as well as rehabilitation programme for children with special needs in community-based rehabilitation centre in Miri by collaborating with Get Equip’d Australia.

“These efforts are our way of emphasising the importance of education in modern-day society and encouraging the students to pursue their dream for a better future,” said Galau.

He further added that the hardship (in their lives) should not be seen as a hindrance for them to continue their studies but to overcome it instead to achieve a better quality of life for themselves and their families.

Also present to hand over the YAA and SAP incentives to recipients  were Lambir 2 senior estate manager Junis Jampang and estate managers Pannirselvam Thaganisalam and Sumar Sharif .

The ceremony in Lambir was the final leg. Before this, the company’s public relation team had travelled across Sarawak namely Sg Asap, Sebauh, Marudi, Tatau and Balingian for similar purposes.

Meanwhile,  SOPB will be collaborating with Miri Blood Bank in organising a blood donation drive on Oct 13 at Permaisuri Imperial City Mall from 9.30am to 1pm. Members of the public are also urged to support the event.