Cheaper by 75 per cent: Army builds 75km Long Luping-Ba Kelalan road for only RM52 million

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11/23/cheaper-by-75-per-cent/

by Philip Kiew. Posted on November 23, 2011, Wednesday

WELCOME: Najib greets the Kelabit and Lun Bawang community chiefs led by Sum (left) as they arrive at his official residence. – Photo by Jeffery Mostapa

Army builds 75km Long Luping-Ba Kelalan road for only RM52 million

PUTRAJAYA: The Long Luping-Ba Kelalan Road in Lawas has been hailed a new-breed project that reflects the perfect cooperation between the Public Works Department and the Armed Forces.

Built under the military’s ‘Jiwa Murni’ project, the 75km road costs only RM52 million, slashing 75 per cent from the estimated RM250 million if implemented by conventional contract.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the project was a new development concept which had never been carried out before.

“What attracts me and the government most is that the project, under the old thinking, would need to wait for quite some time as the allocation needed was substantial but it could be completed very quickly after we had taken the decision,” he said when receiving an entourage of Kelabit and Lun Bawang community leaders at Seri Perdana, Putrajaya yesterday.

The 41-member delegation led by Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong was there to thank the prime minister and the government for the road which was completed in September this year.

With the completion of the road, they said travelling time from Lawas to Ba Kelalan now only took about three hours compared to up to three days in the past.

Barely eight days after becoming prime minister, Najib sent his political secretary Datuk Shahlan Ismail to Ba Kelalan to assess the people’s needs and make recommendations.

“He came back with gruesome pictures of the road condition, and it would take a long time to resolve with the conventional concept, and that is why we decided that a new concept was needed,” Najib said.

Earlier, Sum in his speech thanked Najib for the road which the people had long been waiting for.

He also urged the prime minister to consider their request for funds for the new Lawas Airport, Bario-Ba Kelalan road, a secondary school in Ba Kelalan highlands, replacement of Pengalih bridge built under the Colombo Plan along the Pan Borneo trunk road, approval of a diploma-level technical institute in Lawas and minor projects such as village roads, bridges and jetties.

On behalf of the people, he also expressed their gratitude and appreciation to Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi and officers from his ministry, Armed Forces, Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU), Sarawak Development Office and all those involved in the construction of the road.

Also present at the function were Zahid and top officials from the Armed Forces and its engineering corps, and Sarawak Development Office director Datuk Kamal Hussein.

Environment conservation vital to sustain life – Ose

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11/13/environment-conservation-vital-to-sustain-life-%E2%80%93-ose/

by Antonia Chiam. Posted on November 13, 2011, Sunday

KUCHING: Local communities have been reminded to always ensure an equilibrium between development and conservation prevails so that human activities do not destroy the environment that creates livelihood for them.

Deputy State Secretary Datu Ose Murang stressed that they should make sure that whatever they consumed or used did not infringe on the environment.

“I urge all communities to take note of environmental sustainability when planning for development,” he said at a promotional campaign for Adan Rice yesterday.

He added that while development is essential, conservation must be taken into consideration.

“Without a sustainable environment, there will be no satisfaction with our own lives. When we sustain the environment, we sustain our unique cultures too,” he said, citing fresh air that attracts city folk to visit the highlands.

On Adan Rice, Ose said all products from the heart of Borneo should be promoted and their traditional production methods protected.

“Local communities must ensure the catchment areas and water supply are well managed and well maintained in order to conserve our own production of rice in the highlands.”

The campaign was part of efforts by World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF) and communities in the highlands of Sarawak and Sabah to promote the livelihoods of the local communities through sustainable small-scale agriculture.

This is done by developing specific and unique products from the highlands, such as Adan rice.

Adan rice is a local rice variety from the highlands of Borneo and is cultivated according to traditional methods by the Lun Bawang in Ba kelalan and Long Semadoh, the Kelabits in Bario, and the Lun Dayeh in Long Pasia, Sabah.

Its cultivation pays special attention on how it can affect the surrounding environment.

According to Ba’kelalan penghulu and Persatuan Masyarakat Adat Dataran Tinggi (Formadat) Sarawak and Sabah George Sigar Sultan, Adan rice had the finest grain and taste due to the elevation and the clear, unpolluted waters that irrigate the paddy fields in the highlands. There are three varieties: Adan Merah, Adan Putih and Adan Hitam.

“Harvesting is done at the end of December right until February. The seeds are planted once a year, and the rice takes 6 months to mature. With this promotional campaign, we hope that the general public will be more aware about this unique local rice, which is fresh, natural, and free from pesticides.”

Adan rice can be purchased at the booths during this two-day event which is supported by Bernas Corporation and Lun Bawang Association Sarawak.

Sarawak wants to be self-sufficient in rice

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/189368

Posted on 27 October 2011 - 01:03am

Sulok Tawie
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUCHING (Oct 26, 2011): Sarawak, with its vast land suitable for large scale padi cultivation, wants to be self-sufficient in rice.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang said striving towards self-sufficiency is for security reasons.

"The unpredictable weather pattern caused by global warming which disrupts rice production in major rice-producing countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand makes it crucial for us to strive for rice self-sufficiency," he said at the rice conference here today.

Jabu, who is also State Minister of Modernisation of Agrilculture, said the state needed to produce at least 65% of its rice consumption to reach the level of self-sufficiency.

Curently, Sarawak produces less than 50% of its rice needs while the shortfalls come from rice imported from Vietnam , Thailand and India.

Jabu said there were more than 100 varieties of rice grown and sold in the state, the most being the Bario, Biris, Bajong, Bali, Mamut, Selasih, Katek Merah, Lemak and Kenawit.

He said Bario rice, Sarawak Beras Bajong and Sarawak Beras Biris had been granted the Geographical Indications (GI) by the Malaysian Intellectual Property Organisation (MyIPO).

Bario rice is a unique fine grain rice with smooth glossy texture grown in the cool mountains of the Kelabit highlands while Beras Biris, a fragrant rice with a smooth and glossy texture is cultivated in Simunjan and Samarahan areas and Beras Bajong, an aromatic purple rice with distinctive taste and texture, is mainly planted by traditional paddy farmers in Lubok Nibong, Saratok.

The GI protection will provide entrepreneurs and consumers the assurance of authenticity and consistent product quality.

Jabu urged the various relevant agencies to get at least three more rice varieties to obtain the GI within the next three years.

Emphasis must also be given to the growing of premium rice, govt told

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/27/emphasis-must-also-be-given-to-the-growing-of-premium-rice-govt-told/

Posted on October 27, 2011, Thursday

KUCHING: The government not only wants the state to be self-sufficient in rice as part of its food security strategy, but also to ensure that that specialty rice is sold at a premium to help the growers.

Ministry of Agriculture administrative officer (for special assignment) Paul Ritom told The Borneo Post that they had identified three local rice varieties that could be sold as premium products as they were comparable to foreign rice grains.

“Farmers who grow these varieties will have commercial products that can raise their incomes but the state must organise the paddy farmers professionally so that they can plant and sell them themselves,” he said when met at Sarawak Rice Conference.

Ritom explained that with the technology, the state should also encourage poor farmers to plant high quality traditional varieties, not only for local consumption but for niche overseas market too.

“The government will then have less concern that there is not enough to eat but will also be happy to see that farmers have good disposable income,” he added.

Ritom was optimistic of the viability of these projects if the government started the ball rolling for the private sector to be involved in the economic venture.

He revealed that the three varieties that were accepted in the foreign market and recognised as high value rice were ‘Bario’, ‘Bajong’ and ‘Biris’ rice.

Ritom elaborated that under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA), the federal government had already approved 200 hectares of land in the state to be planted with ‘bario’ rice because of the good price it fetched in the local market, which was up to RM12 per kilogramme.

On ‘Bajong’ rice, he said the variety was also much sought after, for which the government must come up with plans to help the growers increase their production.

Ritom also wanted more promotion to be done for ‘Biris’ rice as it could compete with Jasmine rice from Thailand.

Petronas holds education camp at SK Bario

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/27/petronas-holds-education-camp-at-sk-bario/

Posted on October 27, 2011, Thursday

MIRI: Some 80 SK Bario pupils attended the Petronas Science Educamp programme at the school from Oct 21-24.

Pupils from Primary 4 to 6 took part in experiential learning activities with emphasis on Science, Mathematics and English.

“We would like to thank Petronas for bringing a new fun learning experience to the pupils and teachers in Bario,” SK Bario headmistress Dora Tigan said during the closing ceremony.

Spearheaded by Petronas Sarawak Regional Office, Miri in collaboration with wholly-owned subsidiary Petrosains, the programme targets pupils in remote areas.

Corporate affairs senior executive Suffian Sabeli said the main objectives of the programme included exposing pupils to varying concepts of science and technology, as well as igniting an interest in science and technology careers.

It is also designed to assist teachers to think out of the box by seeking alternative teaching resources. In December, another programme will be held at SK Ba Kelalan, Lawas.

Similar programmes were carried out at SK Long Bedian and SK Long Bemang in Miri Division; SK Long Tuma, SK Long Luping and SK Long Napir, Limbang Division; SK Batu 36 in Sibu Division; and SK Dua Sungai, Mukah Division.

SIB’s Kelabit, Saban and Berawan Ministry to hold two-day annual rally in Miri

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/22/sib%E2%80%99s-kelabit-saban-and-berawan-ministry-to-hold-two-day-annual-rally-in/

Posted on October 22, 2011, Saturday

MIRI: The Kelabit, Saban and Berawan Ministry (PKSB) of the Borneo Evangelical Church (SIB) will hold its annual rally on Oct 28 and 29.

The two-day event themed ‘Empowered By The Holy Spirit’ will be held in Miri SIB’s main building at the Canada Hill commencing 7.30pm nightly.

Organising chairman Stewart Paran said all are welcome to the event which will be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia and English.

Dr Philip Lyn is the guest speaker on the first night and Rev. Solomon Bulan of Sarawak SIB will speak on the following night.

Dr Lyn, an international speaker, is the senior pastor of SIB Skyline, Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. He is a medical doctor trained at Oxford and took biblical studies in Canada.

The Skyline SIB Church is missional in culture and coaches marketplace leaders to live out Christian principles for community transformation.

Married to Nancy, the couple has three wonderful children, one of whom is Sarah Lyn – a miracle child who was raised from the dead.

Rev. Solomon, meanwhile, is the senior pastor of SIB Krokop (KEC) and was a trained high school teacher and a Teacher Training College lecturer before he left to be a full-time pastor.

He pursued his theological training in New Zealand Bible College from 1993 to 1996 and at Seminary Teologi Malaysia in Seremban in 2003.

Rev. Solomon was the teacher-in-charge of the Christian fellowship at Bario Secondary School in 1973 when revival broke out and impacted and transformed the spiritual landscape of the SIB Church in Sabah and Sarawak.

He co-authored the book, ‘The Bario Revival’. Since then, he has been actively involved in evangelistic works in the villages, schools and universities in Sarawak.

The Reverend has wide ministry experience and involvement in mission work and church planting.

“His experience as a teacher and trainer at seminars, as speaker and preacher at church conferences brought him to Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea and Nigeria,” Stewart said.

Rev. Solomon is also a member of the Central Council (MMU) of Sarawak SIB and was its former deputy president.

New Radio Bario hits the airwaves at 94.5 MHz FM

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/15/new-radio-bario-hits-the-airwaves-at-94-5-mhz-fm/

Posted on October 15, 2011, Saturday

BARIO: The Kelabit community of Bario became better connected on Thursday when their brand new radio station hit the airwaves. Radio Bario is Malaysia’s first community-run radio station, and the Kelabit community never had their own broadcast media, until now.

Representing a milestone in Malaysia’s broadcasting and media development, Radio Bario is a project by eBario Sdn Bhd, the organisation which operates the eBario telecentre, with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) — under their Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility.

It is operated ‘by and for the community’ and has a limited radius of between 20-30 kilometres from the station, serving the scattered longhouses and farms.

The creation of Radio Bario is highly significant. Not only will the station broadcast in the Kelabit language, but for the first time listeners will hear news, interviews, stories and music with direct relevance to their culture and history.

Radio Bario has also been successful in mobilising the local community to make the station their own.

The people of Bario undertake every role, from on-air presentation to collecting local news and encouraging the participation of the whole community.

It is the product of four years of planning by eBario Sdn Bhd, which collaborated with RadioActive Ltd. RadioActive is a UK-based company with a strong track record in installing community radio stations.

They provide equipment, training and technical assistance to help build community radio stations around the world, having previously worked in over 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Community radio is a not-for-profit low-cost limited reach broadcasting facility providing a variety of information and entertainment services to the residents of a restricted geographical area.

Normally operated by volunteer programme producers drawn from within the community itself, its function is to supplement mainstream broadcasting with local news, entertainment and cultural programming, mostly in the local language.

John Tarawe of eBario expects that the success of the Radio Bario launch would lead to the launch of other community stations in Malaysia. He said in a press release, “our work with eBario has demonstrated a successful track record with community mobilisation. Radio is one of the best examples of that.”

RadioActive director Max Graef says; “Radio Bario is our 50th project. Each one is unique, but Bario has been a memorable experience because of the warmth and commitment of the local community.

“After just a few training sessions we’re already hearing some great results on air. Community radio can have a great impact, especially considering the low costs involved in getting a station started. We hope to see many other communities in Malaysia benefiting from this technology in the near future.”

As national radio does not reach many of the isolated and remote rural parts of Sarawak, and with its assortment of mother-tongue languages, community radio opens up a new channel of communication for the State’s underserved communities.

Moreover, it provides opportunities for conducting public debates on issues of local interest.

With the widespread use of hand phones these days, listeners can participate in phone-ins from wherever they happen to be.

Useful information can now be easily spread throughout isolated communities in a faster, more timely and economical manner than ever before.

Stanley Isaac, the station manager, is one person who’d endorse this view. A former schoolteacher, Stanley presented Radio Bario’s very first live programme in his native Kelabit.

“For three years it was a dream. Now people are blinking their eyes and saying “Is it true?” he enthused.

Ex-Pemanca Ngimat Ayu added: “This is a very important thing because the indigenous communities don’t hear themselves in the mainstream media and now we feel connected. This will help to conserve and preserve our language and our identity.”

Given the positive experience of Radio Bario’s launch, eBario and RadioActive have formed a joint venture to install more radio stations in Malaysia.

At a recent dialogue in Miri, several representatives of other indigenous groups in Sarawak expressed their interest in establishing their own community radio stations.

Anyone interested to do so can contact John Tarawe on 0194381777 or by email at john.tarawe@gmail.com.