Highlight a place to call home - BorneoTalk Official Website

ISSN 1823-9625 | PPK380/03/2013(031735)
Sarawak • Borneo • Malaysia
VOL.24 APR-JUN 2012
City
smiles
of
Highlight
a place to call home

SaveTime,
SaveFuel, SafeTrip
Kuching, Sarawak’s capital
city, is very similar to
many cities in Asia; they
are mostly sited near to a river for
convenience and also accessibility. A
number of bridges have been built
for city folks to access either side of
the river in Kuching and also one
can take the ‘Water taxi’ or sampan
across at the famed Waterfront.
The city’s rapid growth necessitate
another bridge for increasing traffic
volume crossing the river between
City South and City North and a toll
bridge completed in 2003 provided
the solution to the issue.
Tun Salahuddin Bridge
gives Kuching commuters
a timely and convenient route
in crossing the river
reached one million, majority of
whom preferring the short distance
travelled when compared to the long
about way through the Satok side
bridge. The 16-lane motorist access
bridge with its fully computerized
system makes it very convenient for
motorist and motorcyclist alike. Since
its commencement in 2003 it has
become the best alternative route
crossing the Sarawak River to one
of the major crossings today with
average daily users of almost 26,000.
The good news is that commuters
now have even more reasons to
smile as the toll operator has new
savings plans for them.
Located at Tanah Puteh, between
the State Administrative enclave of
Petra Jaya and the industrial areas
of Pending, the Tun Salahuddin
bridge has been very popular with
commuters in the city, so much
so that within first four months
of operation, the number of users
“Purchase Zecon Toll Card Today!!!
The Reloadable Toll Card costs
only RM3 each and start with the
minimum reload of RM10. Every
RM100 reload comes with FREE Add-
On values of RM25 (newly launched
on 1 st February 2012, valid until
further notice). There is also a RM200
Premium Reload Package which
offers RM66 Add-On absolutely FREE
(valid until 30 th April 2012) - Making
each trip much CHEAPER! All
reloaded values have no expiry date.
In addition, there is always special
offers like limited edition toll cards to
celebrate major festivals.”
“Join Toll @ Tun Salahuddin Bridge, Kuching on Facebook”
2 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
Zecon
Zecon Berhad
(134463-X)
Corporate office:
8 th Floor, Menara Zecon,
No. 92 Lot 393, Section 5 KTLD, Jalan Satok,
93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia,
Tel: +6082 275555 Fax: +608 275500
Toll Administration Office:
Jalan Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin
93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Customer Service:
Tel: +6082 350000
Email: toll@myzecon.com
www.zecon.com.my

Yang Berhormat
Datuk Ir. Haji Daud bin
Abdul Rahman
Assistant Minister for Islamic Affairs,
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure Development Sarawak.
(Minister in charge of Kuching North City Council - DBKU)
Greetings from
Sarawak and a warm
welcome!
Over the years Sarawak has been
experiencing increasing visitors and
investors to the state due to the warm
nature of the people, safe environment,
excellent weather and wide choices of
business opportunities here. Of particular interest to many
foreign investors is naturally the SCORE (Sarawak Corridor
of Renewable Energy) which makes possible all these various
new industries taking advantage of the massive clean and
green hydro power from our dams.
Another transformation is also being pursued in our capital
city, Kuching where the municipalities of Kuching City North
and South are putting in place programmes that will make
the city vibrant, sustainable and livable, alive with soul and
vigour. Much of these initiatives are driven by the close
cooperation between residents and business enterprises of
the city with the municipalities and together striving for a
clean, healthy, safe and friendly one where people from all
races, ethnic origins and religions can live in harmony. It is
no wonder that Kuching continue to attract repeat visitors
as the warm and friendly nature of the residents make it a
beautiful place to relax, enjoy and play.
Do not forget to visit all the other interesting towns and
city of Sarawak as the attractiveness of the state should be
experienced everywhere. More importantly, try out the many
different cuisines of Sarawak arising from the multi ethnic
diversity of people in the state in all the different places of
your visit!
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 3

Soul City
DBKU strive to
make Kuching
City a vibrant and
liveable city of
City
choice
with a
and understanding, sometimes to
the point of taking them to our own
homes! This is the Kuching that
people from all over the world who
have been here have noticed about
us and we certainly do not want
to change from being a warm and
friendly city to be just like any other
city without a soul.”
Mayor Datuk
Haji Abang
Abdul Wahap
Cities across Asia are
experiencing tremendous
growth with the increasing
economic wealth and influx of
investments, people and infrastructures
to the point of competing with
each other for world records in such
achievements! All too often cities
become lonely places with such high
rise buildings and complexes leading to
people becoming complete strangers
to neighbours, indifferent and turning
a cold shoulder to those living on the
periphery of society. Kuching City
too has seen much development as
the capital city of the state with new
industries, shopping centres and
residential properties sprouting all
around; the difference is that it still has
its soul and vitality!
“We certainly don’t want our
beloved city Kuching to be just like
4 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
any other cities where people are
always hurrying along their own
agendas and not caring at all about
their surroundings, neighbourhoods
or marginalized people like rural
migrants and the handicapped,
urban poor and elderly,” said DBKU
Mayor Datuk Haji Abang Abdul
Wahap. “While we acknowledge
that the city is a natural melting pot
for people from different places,
cultures, religions and age group, we
nevertheless do not want them to be
indifferent to one another. Kuching
must strive to maintain its soul and
vitality, conscience and apathy to
everyone, everywhere every time.
After all, Kuching is often called
the ‘City of Smiles’ and we certainly
have not earned this title by being
inconsiderate or indifferent; in fact,
we have always welcomed strangers
and showed them our sincere care
“Fortunately for us, we had the
foresight of our Chief Minister who
long ago foresee the emptiness of cities
without vitality and soul by putting
in place the necessary conditions
to ensure that these will not affect
Kuching City with proper planning of
inner and outer city limits, clean and
proper maintenance of streets and
buildings, preservation of historical
buildings and encouraging greater
diversity of cultures, architectural
concepts and balanced developments
in different parts without jeopardizing
any area from being further developed
in future. All these have paved the
way for a balanced and structured
development agenda, which ultimately
brings people from all walks of life

Soul City
soul
frontline agency of the government in
such social matters. To provide better
assistance to rural farmers who flock
to the city every weekend to sell their
farm products, DBKU has teamed
up with FAMA in the setting up of
a new and conducive market place,
Medan Niaga which is expected to be
operational in the later part of this year
in Petra Jaya. DBKU has also partner
with the SSPCA (Sarawak Society for
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in
carrying out castration and controlling
stray cats, dogs on the streets as an
ongoing service for the community.
together in a safe, secure and friendly
environment. Naturally, our police
and other governmental agencies and
ministries have contributed generously
to the well being of our city which
today continues to show its people side
to visitors from all over the world,” he
added.
The Mayor summed it all up as
‘Esprit de corps’ in our shared destiny
of making Kuching City a livable and
pleasant place. Even the elderly and
handicap members of society here
are treated with care and respect
in specially built homes and centres
with support from all sectors of the
society. It is such caring attitude
that has built the city over the years
and continued to be pursued by the
government and society at large.
It was therefore not surprising that
among the accolades of Kuching City
include being conferred the status
of ‘Cleanest City in Malaysia ’ by a
United Nation agency.
Additionally, DBKU puts in much effort
to alleviate the urban poor in the city,
working with NGOs in different areas
of expertise like shelter, education,
food and counseling for these groups
of people. Most of the council’s
activities in the area are carried out
as part of its CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) initiatives as the most
“While we can talk about our past
achievements, we must place more
emphasis on the future as this will
determine where we go from here,”
he pointed out. “As an agency at the
forefront of the city’s development,
we have to continuously monitor
our contributions and strive to
improve wherever possible as new
developments and changes require
different approaches to doing
things, which means we must also
be innovative and seek residents
feedbacks to carry out our work. In line
with the international demand for low
carbon index in our activities, DBKU
has long advocate green concepts in
its dealings with residences, NGOs,
government agencies and industries to
continue to make the city a green and
livable one.”
In the quest to be responsive to the
demands from all residents in the
city, DBKU has even upgraded its
service lines to be a 24-hour on-call
line (082-446688) for convenience,
timely and responsive agency. It has
also identified more areas within the
city as green lungs and recreational
facilities for residences and the public
alike by continuously making the city
more user friendly and healthy too!
www.dbku.gov.my
Kuching North City Council (DBKU), Bukit Siol, Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya,
For further information, please contact
93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 446688 Fax: +6082 446414 Website: www.dbku.gov.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 5

Soul City
DBKU sets
agenda for
making Kuching
City a dynamic,
livable and
evolving society
A city
changing
for the
better
Sarawak’s capital city, Kuching
started out as a small riverine
trading port/settlement,
growing its strategic importance
under the White Rajah rule as main
administrative centre and continuing
with the growth under the federation
of Malaysia as the principal city of the
largest state in the new nation. Today,
the City is administered under two
municipalities of Kuching North and
South Councils which in effect means
greater attention being paid to residents
in the two areas. Kuching North
council, popularly known as DBKU, is
taking massive steps in bringing the
area to a new era of responsiveness to
the expectations of its residents with its
transformation programmes.
Foremost to residents is the “One
Citizen, One Wish” campaign where
everyone can contribute ideas on
what they want the city to be, their
complaints on services rendered to
anything that DBKU is responsible
6 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Soul City
incentives and active participation,
DBKU hopes to be able to get
residents to separate their waste into
different boxes as practiced in many
developed nations in order to go green
and protect the environment while
also becoming more sustainable. By
focusing on the primary level of homes
and offices, DBKU knows that over
time people will resort to sorting out
their own waste when disposing of
them.
for in carrying out their duties. The
main difference to past campaigns
is that all feedbacks received will be
published in local dailies on a monthly
basis and so residents can check on
the responsiveness of the council in
addressing their feedbacks. Naturally,
this exercise will nurture a sense of
belonging among the residents, which
in turn will make the city a better place
to live, work and play.
DBKU will be advocating a ‘Value
Management’ plan for all its
programmes to be more cost efficient
in activities ranging from projects to
festivals so that the maximum impact
will be generated. In return, staff of
DBKU will get ‘Time Off Card’ which
effectively records individual’s working
hours and automatically giving them
off days when limits are reached so
they will have more time to spend with
their families. Happy families lead to
happy staff and residents, which in turn
translates to better quality personnel
with dedication and integrity.
Aware that by itself it would not be
able to achieve as much as a group,
DBKU engages many different NGOs to
work at achieving the goal of a Livable
City. Amongst these are SKUP (Society
for Kuching Urban Poor), SSPCA
(Society for Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals), FAMA (Federal Agriculture
and Marketing Agency), KOOCH
(Cycling Recreation Club Kuching),
Trienekens and SLTA (Sarawak Lawn
Tennis Association), Resident Office,
LSS (Sarawak Rivers Board) JKR (Public
Works Department), Land and Survey
Department and others. By teaming
with each expert in different areas
of reaching out to the residents, the
council is able to directly and indirectly
bring its message to all levels of society,
which will instill a level of belonging
to all.
An ambitious project that DBKU wants
to make a success of is the 3R concept
of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle project
with Trienekens. Through education,
Another partner for DBKU is the
State Library, cooperating on
ensuring that cultures, arts and
society can come together for the
better good of everyone to become
a harmonious, multi-cultural and
united society. These activities
include poetry reading, story telling,
theater, plays and musical shows
where everyone can participate and
enjoy together. It is obvious that
many cities around the world are
noted for their exquisite taste when
it comes to putting on shows, plays
or musicals as their long traditions
in doing so have earned them the
distinctions and expectations of very
high levels of performances. These
are examples and models, which
the city council is looking to in their
pursuit of excellence.
www.dbku.gov.my
Kuching North City Council (DBKU), Bukit Siol, Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya,
For further information, please contact
93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 446688 Fax: +6082 446414 Website: www.dbku.gov.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 7

Soul City
First Lady
with a
Heart of
Gold
The first impressions one
would get upon meeting Toh
Puan Datuk Patinggi Hajah
Norkiah, wife of Sarawak’s Head of
State Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji
Muhammad Salahuddin, is that she
is humble, caring, has a wonderful
sense of humour and a big heart for
her people.
Born and raised in Kuching, the
62 year old mother of five, talks
affectionately of her childhood
growing up amongst a close knit
family. She recalls days of playing
freely outside, climbing trees, flying
kites and yes, playing with marbles –
the simple pleasures of growing up
in her kampung.
Those were carefree days, she
says, when one would greet their
neighbours by name and life was
simple. She remembers days when the
whole kampung would get together to
gotong royong especially to prepare for
a big event like a wedding.
Now everybody caters for these
occasions, she says, and the sense
of belonging or helping each other
rarely exists anymore.
This is a subject that she hopes will
be encouraged amongst the younger
generation of today.
“Nowadays, things have changed.
With technology our lives have
been altered somewhat. The young
A team from
Borneo Talk
recently had
the honour
of a private
interview with
the First Lady
of Sarawak
at her new
residence at
Matang in
Kuching
people have become very engrossed
in technology. Don’t get me wrong.
Technology has changed our lives
for the better in ways that are too
numerous to count,” said Toh Puan.
“But at the same time it has somehow
impede our ability to interact with
one another. For example, I see my
children at the dinner table; they are
all busy with their mobile phones.
Nobody is talking to each other. I
have to remind them that it is our
family time so we must talk to
each other.”
“In the old days, we would play
outside. I remember playing
with marbles or climbing trees.
We were creative and more
independent those days. Now,
there is the computer to keep
us occupied, especially social
networks like Facebook. Most
children are not interested in
outdoor activities, as they prefer
to stay in their rooms and play on
their computers. I worry about our
future generation sometimes.”
This is why Toh Puan is very
passionate about encouraging the
8 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Soul City
young people to be more involved in
social and charity work.
“It is so important that we
encourage our children to take an
interest in charity or social work from
an early age. It not only benefits
which ever worthy cause they take
on but I believe that it can also play
a big role in boosting their own
personal development,” she said.
“These days most youngsters are
reliant on things to be done for
them. They are not as self sufficient
as when we were their age. Many
families have helpers who do many
of the daily household chores and
therefore, kids become dependent
on them, even to do simple task
like washing their school shoes for
example.”
“As parents we are busy with our jobs
so we also depend on our helpers
to manage the home. Therefore,
as parents we have to teach our
children to be self-sufficient. At the
same time, it is crucial to monitor
their movements and to be aware of
certain dangers out there.”
As patron of several NGOs, Toh Puan
feels that it is her duty to be involved
as much as she can.
Not wanting to be a ‘patron tidur’
(sleeping patron) she emphasizes that
she wants to be able to concentrate
on the NGOs that she is involved in
and makes sure that she is briefed on
their calendar of events.
“I want to be aware of what’s
happening, big or small, I try to
attend as many events as I can
to give moral support and at
the same time share my views to
ensure its effectiveness in today’s
climate for the betterment of
our people. I want to encourage
the younger generation to join
NGOs that interest them. It is
good to have something to be
passionate about. It gives you a
sense of purpose and giving back to
society. It is even more satisfying to
see, when its implementation has
worked towards the progress and
sustainability of any individuals. I get
myself totally involved in monitoring
the results, too.“
On the subject of rural women,
Toh Puan believes that NGOs
like the Sarawak Federation of
Women’s Institute (SFWI) has done
a lot to empower rural women, to
encourage them to progress, to
become leaders, entrepreneurs or
simply be part of a capable work
force in the community.
Toh Puan, who is patron of SFWI, has
been a member of the NGO since
she was 14 years old. She recalls
back then they did a lot of cooking
but were also involved in helping
during political campaigns. Although
there are many NGOs nowadays,
she said they are all aiming towards
the same direction which is to
empower not only women in the
rural areas but also encouraging the
young people to be more involved in
community work.
“Women today are lucky. There are
many opportunities out there for
them to progress and I hope they
grab the chance to do so. Many
years ago, women were considered
second-class citizens, which is still
true in most countries. If you don’t
go to school then you stay home and
get married.”
“That was the mentality back then.
Women were expected to be in the
home. Today things have changed.
We see so many women who are
highly educated and have become
leaders in their field. Even so, we as
society must remember to balance
our family and work life.”
Besides SFWI, Toh Puan is also
very involved in the Girl Guides
Movement of which she is also
patron.
“I was in the Girls Guides. I am very
excited to see our new headquarters,
which should be completed soon. I
am also happy to see the SFWI’s new
building progressing well. It should
be completed soon also.”
Many would know that one subject
that is very close to Toh Puan’s heart
is the Children’s Orphanage Home
(Lembaga Pelawat Rumah Kanak
Kanak Kuching) where she has been
involved for many years and have
given invaluable contribution.
“Many of the children who are
there are either abandoned or
abused. I feel that they also deserve
a chance to be loved and to have
the same opportunities as other
children.”
“Some are adopted by families.
However, the process of adoption is
very strenuous as potential parents
are screened before a decision is
made. This is important as these
children are vulnerable, so placing
them with the right family is of
utmost importance.”
According to Toh Puan, the
government run orphanage is home
to orphans until they are 18 years
old.
“Every child deserves a chance.
As a caring society, we must work
together to bring hope and healing
to these children, many who have
been through difficult times. I urge
everyone to open their hearts, either
as supporters or volunteers to be
able to bring both physical and
emotional healing to the children,”
she stresses. At the same time Toh
Puan also calls on young girls not to
be involved in pre marital sex and
to understand the consequences
of unwanted pregnancies. She also
pointed out that it is important
for children to remember their
responsibilities to their parents, their
aged parents.
“Often, we hear of children who
leave their parents at old folk’s
homes. They don’t visit and they
don’t care. It shouldn’t be that way.
We must create a foundation of a
caring heart in our children from
young. Love and responsibility go
hand and hand. It is something that
I teach my children too,” said Toh
Puan.
As the wife of the Head of state,
balancing her family life and public
life can be challenging. According
to her, the best way is to simply be
happy.
“It is also my secret to staying
young,” jokes Toh Puan, who enjoys
gardening and planting local fruits
during her spare time.
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 9

Soul City
Responsibility
and
accountability
Mohammad
Kamaluddin
Mohammad
Effendie
CEO of Beras
Corporation Sdn
Bhd (Bernas
Subsidiary in Sabah
and Sarawak) walks
the talk on CSR
Commitment is a serious
responsibility for Mohammad
Kamaluddin Mohammad
Effendie, CEO of Beras Corporation
Sdn Bhd (Bernas Subsidiary in Sabah
and Sarawak) in fulfilling pledges
and other associated Corporate
Social Responsibility for the national
corporation. In walking the talk, the
Chief Executive Officer personally
attends most of the CSR events
throughout East Malaysia (Sabah and
Sarawak) in spite of the heavy job
responsibility with the corporation.
“I am very happy be able to attend
these events as this is one way in
which we are all reminded of how
lucky we are and why it is therefore
more important that we give
back to society, especially for less
fortunate and marginalized groups,”
said Kamaluddin when presenting
collective donation of rice amounting
to RM48,920 to 449 orphans from
six orphanages in Sarawak recently.
10 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
The figure represents for year 2011 last
quarter sales collection in Sarawak.
Our CSR “Bowls For Humanity”
campaign pledged to donate 25 grams
of rice towards feeding orphanages
in Malaysia with every bag of 10kg
pack of BERNAS rice purchased and
these will be distributed on a quarterly
basis. It was estimated that there were
about 7,000 orphans in the country
and BERNAS contributions are its way
to ensure that these children will be
nourished.
Apart from doing CSR activities for
the farmers, BERNAS also focuses
on the poor, single mothers, those
unfortunate and the needy. They
also work closely with NGOs, various
community activities regardless of
race, religion or territory.
Kamaluddin believes if every
organization plough back some of
its profits to the society, we will be
having less social and economic
problems, as every society will play
their roles. Adding that for a start, a
city like Kuching can have a caring
neighborhood and society by being
involved in various activities organised
by BERNAS throughout the year.
The CEO opined that just mere
words or instructions would not do
justice to the campaign if the top
management were not committed by
delegating the tasks to subordinates.
By taking part, he believes that not
only will entire workforce of BERNAS
be motivated and committed
but also showed that the
corporation is a team effort.
To be successful, every part of the
organization has to perform well in
their own areas and he emphasized
on accountability and responsibility
when carrying out their duties.
“BERNAS is a public listed company,
we believe our foundation for today’s
achievement is what we portray to the
public. Our journey as a responsible
corporate citizen perseveres with
community investments and programs
which go beyond contributions of
cash and kind whilst focusing on
being locally relevant and aligned with
BERNAS’s business directions,” he
pointed out.
“No doubt CSR has long been in our
culture, yet, the current emphasis
on this social involvement across all
industries has further provoke us to
fulfill our obligations to strengthen
and expand on our own CSR structure
in order to perform to the highest
standard and meet the challenge
of sustainable development for the
nation.”

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED,
Inside
www.borneotalk.com
Soul City 4 •
Tourism - Product
22 • Tourism -
Events 34 • Map
40 • Tourism
- Sports 46 •
Food 47 • Hotel
56 • Education
64 • Conference
68 • Furniture 70
• Muslim Wear 72
• Books & Movie
73 • Etc 74
• ST3
BorneoTalk is published by Bumi Serasi. The contents of the magazine may not be reprinted or
reproduced without prior written permission. The publisher is not liable for statements made
and opinions expressed in the publication.
Endorsed by
4 th Sarawak Hornbill Tourism
Award 2009/2010
Outstanding Contribution to the Tourism Industry
- Media: Publication (winner)
Ministry Of Tourism Sarawak
Sarawak Tourism Board
Editor-In-Chief Ivy Pan Executive Editor S C Goh Marketing Ivy Pan, Jasmine Wong,
Nancy Shukri Administration Ribena Noh Contributors S C Goh, Mark Jacobson, A. Chua,
Margaret Law, Corporate Communication Unit, JKMNS Design & Art Direction Steven Yap,
Photography David Joseph, Jasmine Wong, Mark Jacobson, Mohd Tremidzi, S K Chin, DBKU,
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), Brunei Tourism, Front Cover Image City of Smiles by Mohd
Tremidzi Printer Weng Chuan Creatives Prints, No. 28, Jalan 30B/146, Desa Tasik, Sungai Besi,
57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Write to us at BorneoTalk, 242E, Lorong 3, Jalan Green, 93150 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 427423, 238968, Fax: +6082 235152 email: ivypan.bumiserasi@gmail.com
The next issue of BorneoTalk will be out in July 2012.
To Advertise In This Publication Call 6 082 427423
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 11

Soul City
1
Humanising
of
Welfare
Services
The Department of Welfare
Sarawak headed by its new
Director, Puan Noriah Binti
Haji Ahmad has a committed and
highly esteemed team ensuring
welfare services that covers a range
of preventive, nurturing, supportive
and remedial measures. Puan Noriah
in her new approach explained on
department’s strategy on introducing
a vigorous Productive Welfare
Programmes in helping clientele
move from welfare to self-reliance
for a better life.
www.welfare.sarawak.gov.my
12 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
(1) TYT Yang Di-Pertua (2 nd right) and Toh Puan Norkiah (1 st right)
in Sentuhan Kasih Chinese New Year Programme,
14 th February 2012 • (2) Launching of Logo TASKA BERDAFTAR,
28 th September 2011 • (3) Visiting PERKATA 21 st February 2012
• (4)(7) KARISMA 1AZAM 17 th January 2012 • (5) CSR-Rakan
Kongsi Kebajikan plague handing over ceremony during Flood
Preparation Meeting chaired by Minister YB Datuk Hajah Fatimah
Abdullah and Assistant Minister for Welfare, YB Robert Lawson
Chuat, witnessed by Director Puan Noriah Hj Ahmad • (6) Visiting
Food Storage Centre for the flood victim in Ng Baoh • (8) Wang
Ehsan distribution by Minister YB Datuk Hajah Fatimah Abdullah
23 rd February 2012
2 3
4
The state Welfare Department
will thus embark on an ambitious
programme to “humanize” its
services by improvising existing ones
and implementing new initiatives to
better serve its clientele groups as
well as to reach out to those who
were inadvertently left out from the
safety net.
Under the Government
Transformation Programme, the

department is tasked with the
responsibility of making its services
more accessible and friendly to
its clientele groups which consists
of senior citizens, single parents,
delinquent juveniles, disadvantaged
children, persons with disabilities,
victims of natural disasters and
domestic violence, social destitute,
child-care providers and voluntary
welfare organizations.
This has been the motivation behind
the formation of the new Ministry
of Welfare, Women and Family
Development headed by Yang
Berhormat Datuk Hajah Fatimah
Abdullah who has always been
a staunch advocate of a holistic
transformation of the welfare system
that promotes a more accessible and
humane approaches to human needs
and social problems.
The department is also aware that
welfare work is a joint responsibility
of all civic-minded citizens. Hence it
will forge greater partnerships with
NGOS and the corporate sectors in
the delivery of its services.
For instance, recently a Chinese New
Year event was held together with
corporate entities such as PETRONAS,
Mega Hotel Miri and DD Plantation
Soul City
the department will take stringent
measures to ensure that all child-care
centres, TASKA (Taman Asuhan Kanak-
Kanak) are legally registered under the
Child-care Centre Act, 1984 in order to
avoid any further untoward incidents.
Hence parents are advised to send their
child to registered Taska only.
Meanwhile, the process time
for registration of a TASKA has
Among the new programmes
that have been scheduled for
implementation this year include:
(a) setting up of 45 satellite offices,
in strategic locations in the
suburban and rural areas;
(b) online registration of the disabled;
(c) enhancement of the registration
of the child-care centres.
(d) forging of multi-sectoral
collaboration with voluntary
welfare organizations and
corporate sectors.
The setting up of satellite offices aims
at extending the welfare services to
the less fortunate and the vulnerable
groups at the grassroot level so that
no eligible persons may be denied
of government assistance. It also
aims at alleviating the burden of
hardships faced by the target groups
through the disbursements of various
social assistance and small-business
launching grants.
8
Miri under the auspices of His
Highness the Governor of Sarawak
and Toh Puan. Representatives of
the corporate sectors contributed
angpows to the welfare recipients
and residents of welfare institutions.
Under the Persons with Disabilities
Act (2008), all disabled persons are
required to register with the welfare
department. This is necessary for
the government to plan services
and allocate adequate funds for the
needs of these groups. Hence an
online registration system has been
developed to speed up the process.
The department is cognizant of recent
incidences of mishandling of children
in some child-care centres operated by
individuals and business entities. Hence
been shortened to three and half
months as compared to 12 months
previously. With this, the operators
would have no valid excuses for not
registering their centres.
In order for members
of the public to provide
feedback or reports on
certain social issues of
welfare concern, they
may channel their querries
through our national 24/7
careline @ 15999 or
talikhidmat @ 555999.
For more information, please contact Department of Welfare Sarawak, Wisma Kebajikan, Jalan Siol Kanan, 93050 Kuching,
Sarawak, Malaysia. T: +6082 444121, 448445 F: +6082 455710, 448946 E: welfare@sarawak.gov.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 13

Soul City
Tag-team of Department
Of Welfare Sarawak
Sarawak Welfare
Department
provides services
essential for those
in real need of
care
For more information, please contact
Department of Welfare
Sarawak
Wisma Kebajikan, Jalan Siol Kanan,
93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
T: +6082 444121, 448445
F: +6082 455710, 448946
E: welfare@sarawak.gov.my
www.welfare.sarawak.gov.my
14 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
One Stop
Registration Centre
TASKA, officiated
on 20 th Mac 2012 at
Bilik Gerakan Wisma
Bapa by Minister of
Ministry of Welfare,
Women & Family
Development, YB
Datuk Hajah Fatimah
Abdullah (standing
front 3 rd right)
In any society there will
always be those who need
support from the government
due to their physical, mental and
social disabilities or situations,
especially the elderly, marginalized
and abandoned children. Sarawak
Welfare Department is the state’s
main body to provide many
different types of assistance to these
disadvantaged groups of people
throughout the state and it does
so with other support from other
governmental agencies as well as
members of the public too.
To identify and to keep track of its
activities, the Welfare Department
maintains an up-to-date profile of all
its clients through a database, aptly
called State Community Care System
Database (SCCS), which it developed
with support from SAINS (Sarawak
Information System). With the system
the department is able to process and
manage all its clients who have been
approved for support services like
e-Bantuan and continuously monitor
related activities under the scheme.
The list is also the main reference
point for all the department’s staff
when dealing with these clients and
more importantly, the monitoring
of their activities after they have
been discharged from these services.
Managed under the SWIM (State
Welfare Institution Management) the
staff of the department ensures that
these former clients continue to chart
progress in their new undertakings
and also gives them the necessary
support whenever necessary.
In addition, the welfare personnel
at all levels will be given regular
training on interpersonal and
effective communication skills, social
work principles and ethics, conflict
resolution, crisis management, and
casework management. All these are
aimed at helping them to be more
client-centred in their approaches
when dealing with different
categories of clients.
The latest addition to the Welfare
Department’s list of duties is that of
a One Stop Centre for registration
of TASKA or Child-Care centres in
Sarawak. Their main concern here is
to ensure that such centres provide
the minimum standards of child care
services which are essential in the
development of young children’s
mind and body to become useful
citizens of the world.

Soul City
Rh. Jilap
anak Taji
in Pakan
Sarikei is one
A shining
of Sarawak’s
success
prides
In Sarawak, very often we
hear of longhouses being left
behind with just elderly people
as the young migrated in search of
work outside. With better education
and opportunities, the young people
would leave their ethnic longhouses
for the bright lights of cities so it is a
surprise that Rh. Jilap anak Taji, 6 th mile,
Engkamop Road in Pakan, a traditional
Iban longhouse, is getting bigger and
prosperous at the same time! The
secret to their success comes from the
cooperation with the various agencies
like Ministry of Social Development
Sarawak, Resident’s and District Office,
Sarikei, Agricultural Department, FAMA
and Saberkas.
When the longhouse started in 1960,
there were just 80 inhabitants in the 16
bilik (door) stretch whereas today, it has
doubled to 38 doors with 161 residents
who are amongst the most industrious
in the district. Mainly farmers who
deliver fresh vegetables to the nearby
towns of Bintangor, Sarikei and Sibu,
they have found a niche in the supply
business and have also supplemented
with fresh fish grown in their ponds.
The more educated residents are also
part of the civil service, staff of private
companies and self-employed like
canteen operator, car rental services
and offshore workers.
“With foresight and assistance from
the government, the residents can each
earn between RM3000 to RM7000
monthly from their farming activities,”
said Resident of Sarikei, Michael Dawi.
“They have secured contracts to deliver
fresh vegetables to wholesalers and
buyers and farming using the nettings
ensured that heavy rain, insects and
other disturbances do not affect their
crops. The various individuals also rear
fish, which adds to their wealth and
prosperity. We are happy for them and
we hope that many others will look at
them as role models to further develop
their land around their longhouses for
farming. I am certain that our Federal,
State elected representatives and
all related agencies will continue to
provide the necessary assistance to all
those who decide to develop their own
farms or estates. In this manner, they
can rest assured that they will be able
to participate actively in the SCORE
Development, particularly in Tanjung
Manis Halal Hub sectors,” he added.
Apart from the economic success
of the longhouse, the other success
comes from their young students
where 11 are Degree holders,
7 Diploma holders and 3 others
having completed Sixth Form. Other
accomplishments of Rh. Jilap anak
Taji are coming first in the Saberkas
agricultural competition in 1996 as
well as 2011 ADC winner of the Sarikei
Divisional competition. Certainly, this
longhouse is a shining example of the
possibilities if the residents are willing
to put in the effort to make farming
a livelihood and industry, as there are
available government agencies to assist
them along the way with expertise in
every area.
For further information, please contact Sarikei Resident’s Office, 10 th Floor, Wisma Jubli
Mutiara, Jalan Bersatu, 96100 Sarikei, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6084 651963 Fax: +6084 653204
www.sarikeiro.sarawak.gov.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 15

Soul City
Corporate
Social
Responsibility
- A commitment to service
www.kcsh.kpjhealth.com.my
Kuching Specialist Hospital’s major
contributions towards the local
community are the setting up of two
charity clinic namely Klinik Waqaf
An-Nur (KWAN) at Satok and Bandar
Baru Samariang. Klinik Waqaf An-
Nur Satok also runs a dialysis centre
with minimal charge of RM90. The
clinics charge a minimum of RM5 for
services rendered by medical doctor
and prescription of medication.
Being part of KPJ Healthcare
Berhad, Kuching Specialist
Hospital strongly believes
that the concept of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) must blend in
harmony and together be seen as
one. Since its inception in 2004,
Kuching Specialist Hospital has been
actively pursuing community health
development programmes as a way
of giving back to society.
KPJ Kuching Specialist has worked
alongside with both government
and non-governmental organisations
in promoting preventive healthcare
16 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
through its education programmes
and community services. Health
seminars, talks, exhibitions, school
visits and nationwide campaigns
were carried out throughout the year
to increase health awareness. These
programmes are intended to nurture
a healthy lifestyle and healthy living
from young age.
In Sarawak, KWAN is the main
community project extensively
undertaken together with Waqaf
An-Nur Corporation and Tabung
Baitulmal Negeri Sarawak. Kuching
Specialist Hospital’s direct contribution
to KWAN is managing the clinic
operation including provision of the
doctors and nurses. As at December
2011, a total of 36,600 patients of all
races have seeked treatment at Klinik
Waqaf An-Nur in Sarawak.
Apart from setting up the charity
clinics, Kuching Specialist Hospital
has undertaken various community
outreach projects throughout the
state and into the remote areas in

Soul City
Sarawak. The major community
outreach projects in collaboration
with the Sarawak State Government,
State Health Department, National
Registration Department and
other government linked agencies
was held in Long Pelutan, Long
Luteng at Ulu Baram, Pulau Bruit
and Nanga Baoh at Dalat. The
pilot project, started in 2009,
received an overwhelming response
and continuously supported by
corporate bodies such as Naim
Cendera Holdings, Ta Ann, Jaya
Tiasa Holdings, Samlings, Sri Vijaya
Shipping, Hornbill Skyways, Usaha
Cendera and media partner. The
medical team and volunteers
comprises specialists of physician,
pediatrician, ophthalmic surgeon,
dentist, general practitioners, nurses
and support team extended free
medical consultation, dental services,
health screenings and prescribe
medication to the remote villagers.
The team travels through logging
roads in Ulu Baram, hop in express
or long boat to areas accessible
only by river transport or riding
motorcycles from one village to
another, bringing hope and provide
health awareness to the rural area.
Kuching Specialist Hospital aims
in reaching out to the local
communities in promoting preventive
healthcare and will continue to
explore the area to supplement any
existing healthcare facilities or to
provide to areas where such facilities
are not readily accessible.
KUCHING SPECIALIST HOSPITAL (A Member of KPJ Healthcare Berhad Group)
Lot 10420, Block 11, Tabuan Stutong Commercial Centre, Jalan Setia Raja, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 365777, 365030 (Emergency Line) Fax: +6082 364666 Email: kcsh@kcsh.kpjhealth.com.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 17

Soul City
Services
to all
In almost every country the
cost of medical and health
care is rising steadily and many
marginalized people living in cities
are finding it more difficult to seek
treatment due to the cost factor.
Recently Malaysia’s Prime Minister,
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launched
the 1 Malaysia Clinic to specifically
bring medical care to everyone by
establishing 50 such clinics in cities
and towns throughout the nation.
Easily accessible and open everyday
(10:00am to 10:00pm), these clinics
are there to provide basic checks and
simple medications to those in need
at the cost of RM1!
“The clinics are not meant to
replace the hospitals or private
clinics but to give everyone the
opportunity to seek medical care
when necessary. Services like checks
of blood pressure, diabetes testing
and hypertension are available but
more detail checks on other illness
have still to be referred to the
hospitals,” said the Prime Minister
at the launching. “Foremost, these
clinics are not to compete with the
private sector clinics and so should
be seen as a win-win situation
as those that need referrals are
still directed to such clinics. More
importantly, these are services
provided by the government to
everyone at affordable price and can
decrease the queues in hospitals for
those seeking such treatments or
services.” Other services available
include cough medications, high
fever treatments and simple stitches
for minor cuts.
According to the Prime Minister, if
the idea of such clinics are readily
acceptable to the public, there are
possibilities that their number could
be increased, based on areas where
the demand is highest. Interestingly,
the RM10 million budget for these
fifty clinics are to provide equipment
and medicines and are not inclusive
of the buildings’ cost. Another plus
point for these clinics is that services
can be provided at a fast pace as
they provide services that are not
time consuming.
“These clinics are specifically
aimed at those who are at the
lowest income group in the cities
and towns, to provide health and
medical care to everyone, including
foreigners,” added Datuk Seri Liow
Tiong Lai, Malaysia’s Minister of
Health at the launching. He informed
18 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Soul City
Malaysia
Clinics
that foreigners seeking services at
these clinics will have to pay RM15
and are welcomed too, especially
those in service industries in the cities
and towns. The Minister also pointed
out that he had consulted with the
Malaysian Medical Association on
the merits of these clinics and to ally
their fear that private enterprises will
not be affected by the opening of
these clinics.
“We want to make it clear to
everyone concerned that these clinics
are another step in our effort to
provide quality health and medical
care to the people in a fair and
transparent way,” he added. There
are no distinctions between anyone
going to these clinics, which is the
government’s way of providing
services to all, he stated.
For further information, please contact 1Malaysia Clinic • Lot 9746, Section 65, KTLD, Taman Lee Ling, Jalan Matang, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 649644 • Ground Floor, Shop Lot No.1, Lot 482, Block 71, 10 th Mile Bazaar, Lorong 10, Kota Padawan, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 370061
• 1921, Ground Floor, Riverview Commercial Centre, Bintawa, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 330002
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 19

Soul City
Kuching
City Parking
Systems seek
to provide
best win-win
solutions
to parking
congestions in
the city
Like many capital cities in
Malaysia, Kuching City is
facing its share of traffic woes
like congestions and difficulties in
finding parking bays especially during
peak office hours. Fortunately,
these issues are mostly confined
to the older part of the city where
limited land do not allow for further
expansion of roads or places to park.
In other places especially where new
townships are coming up, these
traffic problems are reduced through
wider and multiple access roads and
mandatory parking spaces set aside
for every development plans.
Another way the city is trying to free
parking spaces is the introduction
of parking system fondly named as
Kuching City Parking Systems (KCPS)
whereby parking spaces
within the city are
carefully
Understanding
the drivers’
dilemma
monitored and checked by attendants
during office hours. The system
incorporates the use of season parking
scheme at certain designated spaces
in different parts of the city, which is
renewable monthly and fixed rates
based on length of time the space is
occupied by the vehicle. The season
parking scheme is designed to
convenient office workers who work
in nearby buildings as they only pay
one rate monthly which is also cost
effective. Drivers have to purchase
coupons for the hourly parking in
all city parking spaces where there
are numbered bays. Upon expiry of
parking coupon designated time will
result in a fixed rate compound for
each subsequent time period and
amount payable to the city councils or
the nearest KCPS outlet.
The advantages of the system are
that city councils will earn extra
revenue while drivers will more likely
be able to find available parking bays.
Additionally, the system also creates
more employment opportunities
and also encourages city folks to use
public transport. It also encourages
drivers not to waste time while
parking, as longer idle
time in a designated
bay will result in
more compounds to
be paid. This user pay
system has also resulted in
more parking bays available as
most drivers will try to avoid long period
parking.
Based on the results of the new system
implemented since 2005, the city
councils have enjoyed triple monthly
guaranteed parking bays rental income
as well as 52% year-end dividend
from KCPS. The over 150 employees
of KCPS have also enjoyed the better
working conditions with medical
benefits, incentives schemes and
others. In their effort to better manage
the parking issue in the city, KCPS
has regularly listened to feedbacks
from drivers and looking at providing
solutions and alternatives to reduce
complaints and irregularities. All these
proactive steps have resulted in better
management of parking bays in the
city and also greater revenues for the
councils to provide more facilities and
better living standards for city
folks in Kuching.
www.dbku.gov.my
Kuching North City Council (DBKU), Bukit Siol, Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya,
For further information, please contact
93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 446688 Fax: +6082 446414
20 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Soul City
Responsive
and
responsible
council
Padawan Municipal Council
strives to engage with local
community through Resident
Councillorship System
Padawan Municipal Council is
one of three major councils
serving Sarawak’s Capital
City, Kuching. As one of the biggest
municipality in area, Padawan
Municipal Council (MPP) is also one
of the fastest growing in terms of
residential, commercial and industrial
properties over the past few
years. This has brought about the
realization that it cannot be business
as usual for MPP!
“We have realised from our studies
and projections of growth in MPP
that we would be unable to provide
the necessary municipal services
and infrastructure requirements
if we continued working the way
we were,” said Lo Khere Chiang,
Chairman MPP. “We would simply
be overwhelmed by the sheer
number of developments planned
and approved under MPP area of
jurisdiction. More developments
means more people will be residing
in MPP area. So, a solution had to
be put in place in anticipation of the
demands and expectations from the
ratepayers. Thus, it was collectively
agreed to form the Resident
Councillorship System in 2009 which
focused on community participation
and engagement in community
activities.”
“Each housing estate or village
under MPP will have its Community
Consultative Committee (CCC)
which will be headed by a Resident
Councillor who work together with
the local community to solve issues
arising in that area,” the Chairman
explained.
“As there are more areas than our
number of councillors in MPP, some
of us have to shoulder more than
one area or ward,” Lo added. “To
assist the Resident Councillors, we
also appointed an Area Officer in
each ward and whose responsibilities
include collecting relevant data
of the area, accompany Resident
Councillor during site visits and
acting as focal person in the area.
PADAWAN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Kota Padawan, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 615566 Fax: +6082 611832
Email: mpp@tm.net.my
Website: www.mpp.gov.my
In this way, MPP hopes to be able
to better serve each ward and has
closer contact with all residents,”
he said.
In practice, the system has been
well accepted by the residents as
issues arising from each particular
area can be quickly identified and
brought to the attention of MPP for
answers and solutions. The Chairman
noted that the responsibilities of
these Resident Councillors are heavy
and challenging but are necessary
to establish the close relationships
with residents. He also noted
that over time, residents too have
become more responsive to the
system and are active participants
in the sustainable development of
their areas. These successes and
continuous investments in MPP point
to the conclusion that Padawan is an
area much favoured by people.
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 21

Tourism – Product
Asian
The
Terubok
fish is
making a
comeback
in Sarawak
What is caviar to Europe,
is Terubok roe to Asia.
The Terubok is a unique
species of fish found in many parts of
Asia and like salmons, migrate back to
their rivers birth places to spawn when
matured. Another fascinating feature is
that when at the immature stage, they
are all males and evolving to become
females when mature!
A number of rivers in Sarawak have
long been well known for their Terubok
catch in the past and fishermen in
some areas were able to sustain
themselves and earn a living simply by
this seasonal activity. Sadly, the number
of landings dwindle significantly in
many areas due mainly to the over
fishing activities, pollution of some
rivers, disturbances of spawning
grounds and trawlers upsetting
22 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Tourism – Product
caviar
the ecosystem. The government
launched an international programme
with Australian CSIRO to look into
mitigating the problem and finding
ways to ensure that the species will
continue to flourish in the rivers in
Sarawak.
Amongst the many activities of the
action plan were artificial breeding,
cyro-preservation, genetic studies,
fish trapping, diseases, pathology and
toxicology studies. Another area was
fry production and culture, which
looked into reseeding, pond cultivation
and improvements to the existing
facilities of Terubok research at Lingga
fishery Station. On the human resource
aspects, there were capacity building of
expertise in scientific and management
fields, educational activities and hosts
of public awareness programs to drum
up support and understanding of
the issues as well as inputs to further
strengthen the programs.
After a number of years, the various
programs began to show more
positive results, especially in the
awareness building among the
local fishing communities. It also
revealed that for any local project to
be successful, the local stakeholders
must be active participants to
overcome shortcomings while
providing the necessary channels to
solve conflicts between individuals
and groups through dialogue and
consensus. On the other hand,
successful programs also need full
support from the government and
related agencies working together
for a common good and goal.
In the case of Terubok, the Ministry
of Modernization of Agriculture,
Department of Agriculture Sarawak,
were the main members heavily
involved and committed to the
program which led to its success.
There are still a myriad of things
to do for the rehabilitation of the
Terubok in Sarawak and these include
working in close cooperation with
other states/nations within Borneo,
regular checks on landings of fish
and regular dialogues between the
interested parties. There have even
been suggestions on the possibilities
of engaging neighbours to jointly
conduct research on Terubok while
others believe that education should
be emphasized more at all levels to
achieve the goal of future success in
the species.
For further information, kindly contact
Inland Fisheries Production, Research & Training Centre,
Semariang Batu, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 440196 Fax: +6082 443289
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 23

Tourism – Product
Kuching’s new
Medan Niaga Satok
offers locals and
visitors insights into
the diverse range
of food, fruits of
Sarawak
Kuching City’s Sunday Market
along Jalan Satok is the
most well known centre
for city folks and tourists alike when
it comes to local food and fruits.
Every weekend the whole area is
like a carnival for sellers and buyers,
especially with the presence of native
groups selling their farm produce,
wholesellers with their locally grown
vegetables and assortment of wet
and dry foodstuff, gardening and
hobbyist vendors. This diversity
of products and services is like a
magnetic pull on everyone, young
and old alike and a real eye opener
for many tourists in the state.
landmark
Due to the overwhelming number
of vendors and patrons, the place is
simply inadequate in terms of space to
display goods, limited lanes for patrons
and at times massive traffic jams and
huge amount of litter towards the
evening time. Realizing the limitation
of the venue as well as the potential
of the place to draw in tourists, the
government has set up the Medan
Niaga Satok, which will be located at
Jalan Matang, Petra Jaya, just across
the main bridge from Jalan Satok.
Covering an area of 12.25 acres, this
purpose built market will include
a roof structure for the comfort of
vendors and patrons, separation of
wet and semi-wet sections, food
section, plaza section and office
of FAMA, the federal agricultural
agency which is joint partnership
with the state government in setting
up the new venue. In addition to the
separation of the different segments of
traders, the market will have modern
and efficient waste disposal systems
as well as wide spaces for movement
of traffic, goods and services. The
whole project is estimated to cost
about RM46.5 million which will
include wide-open access roads, ample
parking bays, marina landing spots
and safe environment for everyone.
Apart from the usual shopping,
visitors will be entertained by cultural
performances and activities during the
evenings, which will boost patronage
of the market.
It is estimated that about 1300
vendors are currently frequenting
the Sunday Market, a figure that
will likely increase at the new venue
as more entrepreneurs join in.
With the better facilities becoming
available at the new market, which
will open its doors to the public
come July 2012, you can expect
Medan Niaga Satok to be even
more busy with people looking for
interesting, exotic range of goods
and services. The new landmark for
the city will see traders moving into
the market in stages.
Be amongst the first to experience the
totally new marketing environment!
For further information, kindly contact FAMA Sarawak, Office,
Lot 6C,D,E, Wisma Haji Suaidi, Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching,
Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 422578, 414744 Fax: +6082 244551
24 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Red Tilapia
Tourism – Product
after taste. Furthermore, in a freefloating
cage the waste generated
from the fish are immediately washed
away as the water is ever flowing
24/7! Pond water needs treatment to
prevent occurrence of diseases due to
the congestion and waste generated
from the fish so be careful when
purchasing such fishes even though
their prices may be cheaper.
Live&Fresh
When it comes to cooking, tilapia
fish is quite flexible; it is excellent for
steaming, especially the fresh ones
from the tank, for frying as it does
not shrink much in size when cooked
and certainly sumptuous for asam
curry. There are other possibilities
like sweet and sour, Thai sauce style,
Cantonese style, black sauce with
black beans and the fillet pieces are
always never enough when cooked
in butter sauce or deep fried. At the
fine restaurants and seafood outlets,
the tilapia is very common due to its
versatility to all types of cooking.
Able Asia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd produces, sells
tilapia eco-fish from farm at Batang Ai dam
Everyone knows that the
tilapia fish is one of the
finest when it comes to
serving guests or family as it has
good quality flesh, fresh and very
little fine bones to worry about. In
Sarawak, tilapia is easily available in
any market and usually lives ones
too! The main issue is whether it
will have a ‘muddy’ after taste when
eaten especially those that come
from ponds.
So choose those that come from Able
Asia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd, a company
that breeds the eco tilapia fish and
other fishes in free flowing water at
the Batang Ai dam in Sri Aman. There
are agents and wholesalers for the
company throughout the state so
getting their fresh eco fishes are quite
easy. At the farm, the fish are kept in
floating cages, which means they do
not nibble on mud, or bottom debris,
which give pond fish that muddy
Able Asia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd also
sells other types of eco fish like patin,
lampan, baung, kaloi and tengadak,
all quality river fishes that can be safely
recommended for serving guests.
Depending on your skills, each of these
types of fishes certainly taste richer
when cooked in the right way and the
folks at the outlets will gladly advice
you should you need so, especially
when purchasing the fish for the first
time! For those who tend to shop once
a week, keeping the fish in the freezer
is not going to make the fish taste bad
when thawed and cooked after a few
days. Because the fish bought is fresh,
the freezer will continue to keep it
fresh and ready whenever you decide
to cook it. However, it is advisable not
to keep foodstuff in freezer for too
long as that can deteriorate the quality.
For more information, please contact
Able Asia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd,
Lot 8129, Ground Floor, Lorong Datuk Abang Abdul
Rahim 10, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
T: +6082 349816 F: +6082 337728
HP: +6013 8033069 (Mr. Kong) E: pctan61@hotmail.com
(Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm)
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 25

Tourism – Product
Ba Kelalan
Unique
opportunity
to experience
Sarawak’s
highland areas.
&
• Ba’Kelalan
Of all the homestay
programmes in Sarawak,
only two offer something
very different from the rest; these
are Ba’Kelalan and Bario in the Miri
Division. Both are unique in that
they are nestled in high altitude
and the weather conditions are very
favourable due to the coolness and
the ample sunshine everyday. The
26 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
only drawback, if you want to call it
that, is the accessibility, only by air
(though many say it is this factor of
limited access that attracts them!).
Of course the land route is an option
that only those with time, stamina
and hardiness can try in hiking
through rugged highlands, sleeping
in makeshifts shelters and relying on
stream water.
Ba’Kelalan & Bario Homestay is
actually a new name given to the
age old tradition of sharing one’s
home with visitors in the highland
areas in Sarawak. Ever since visitors
from outside started arriving at
the highlands, they have always
been staying with families who
opened up their homes to welcome
these visitors. The remote nature
of these areas and the limited
accommodations available mean that
visitors have to put up with some
families. Visitors need not worry
about families being unfamiliar with
their arrival and sharing of their
homes.
Ba’Kelalan is about 170km from
Lawas while Bario is much closer

Tourism – Product
Bario
Homestay
something to try your hands on if
chance upon. The fire is kept going
without stopping over the days and
water from the well is continuously
poured into the iron basins. The
resulting salt is much priced by all
the native people in Sarawak and
was an important barter trading
item in the past. Another interesting
activity is picking wild fruits from
the jungle and this provides visitors
an opportunity to enjoy themselves
while learning about the traditional
way of life.
• Bario
to the Kalimantan border. Both are
major towns in the northern part
of the state with majority of the
inhabitants being Lun Bawang and
Kelabit, two of the major tribes of
people collectively known as Orang
Ulu (Upriver people) in Sarawak.
The isolated nature of Ba’Kelalan
and Bario also helped preserved
many of their age-old traditions
like the dances, bamboo band
and types of food. Padi cultivation
provided the main staple food, which
also became an important export
commodity for the people due to
the high quality rice produced.
Pineapple also grow well here and
are naturally sweet! Visitors will get
to join in the traditional padi planting
activities like harvesting, planting
and land preparation, depending
on the season they arrive in these
settlements. Fishing, plucking
vegetables from the jungle and some
animal husbandry are some activities
that visitors may participate in when
staying here.
At Bario, the salt making process
of evaporating water over a few
days to get the crystals is also
For more information, please contact Motour Sarawak Office,
Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, (Sarawak Office) 3 rd Floor,
Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93300 Kuching, Sarawak,
Malaysia. T: +6082 235231 F: +6082 234010
www.motour.gov.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 27

Tourism – Product
Gawai
Special
Package
18 th May - 23 rd June
To experience authentic
Gawai celebration, you
must venture to a Dayak
longhouse and join in the festival
activities of the people. This is
the most common advice to all
those who are new to Sarawak’s
Gawai celebration which falls on
1 st & 2 nd June annually here. Gawai
is actually a social and religious
festival of the Dayaks, comprising
mainly of Iban and Bidayuh native
tribes as Thanksgiving Day marking
bountiful rice harvest and for plans
and activities for the next planting
season.
A traditional
celebration
of Dayak
hospitality in
Sarawak
know of a villager who lives in that
longhouse and get him to invite you!
No worry about that this year; the
“Gawai Special Package” is here!
Jointly organized by Ministry of
Tourism Sarawak, Tourism Malaysia,
Sarawak Tourism Board and
Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV), the
package is one unique experience
for all participants in a unique and
conducive environment. Living in the
SCV is itself a memorable experience
as the village is a representative
collection of Sarawak’s various ethnic
groups’ traditional homes. Located
at the foothills of Mount Santubong,
the award winning village is
surrounded by forest, river and just
a short drive from the capital city,
Kuching.
Upon arrival at SCV, guests
and participants will join in the
‘Pun Ramyai’, ‘Miring’ led by a
‘Lemambang’ and a toast of ‘Ai
Pengayu’. Pun Ramyai is a Tree of
Sound as the advice may be, often
getting to a longhouse is quite a
tricky problem unless you personally
28 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Tourism – Product
Fortune which signifies the fortune
of the people for the upcoming
celebration and Miring is a customary
offering ceremony to mark many
activities of the villagers. Lemambang
refers to the poem chanter prior
to the start of many activities and
Ai Pengayu is the rice wine served
during the ceremony to signify long
life. All these activities are carried
out in a merry making celebration
participated by the villagers and so
guests will also be invited to join in.
Following a host of other interesting
activities, all the Special Gawai Package
participants will go on a short jungle
trekking at the Mount Santubong
foothills where they have the
opportunity to catch sight of monkeys,
lizards, fascinating pitcher plants to
tall imposing trees. That short outdoor
excursion served the best reason for
a relaxing session in the SCV theater
where cultural performances featuring
various ethnic dances will be held.
The evening dinner is an eagerly
anticipated affair as participants
assigned to different groups will be
preparing dishes for the dinner. This
‘Do-it-yourself’ collective effort is
called “Berapi Kitai” and participants
learn first hand the preparation and
cooking of traditional recipes of the
ethnic groups. Following dinner, the
most interesting event then unfolds,
“Makai Begulai” where participants
watch and learn from the traditional
dance experts the intricate steps of
the dances. The merry dancing is
always a challenge to visitors as they
try to imitate their hosts’ nimble steps
and body twists as well as learning
to strike the gongs at the rhythmic
paces. Before retiring for the night,
participants will all symbolically roll
up the mats on the floor to symbolise
the end of the night’s celebration.
Known as “Ngling Tikai” it provides a
fitting end to a wonderful sharing of
cultures and traditions between the
people.
Breakfast the next morning is an
interesting selection of Orang Ulu fares.
“Mirup Lekadchang” or breakfast will
be an opportunity for the participants
to sample some Orang Ulu food in
the village. On a later part of the
morning, the participants will once
again get their hands into making
traditional Iban biscuits using local
ingredients. Commonly referred to as
“Ngadu Penganan” the biscuit making
experience gives guests an insight
into the simple exercise of making
tasty biscuits. Lunch comes next and
it will feature Bidayuh food selections.
Expertly prepared by the senior
Bidayuh mothers, “Netas Pun Ranyai”
also marks the end of the wonderful
experience of the participants in the
Special Gawai Package at the SCV.
Depending on the choice, the special
package is priced at RM399.00 per
pax for 2-days 1 night stay while
the RM499.00 (3-days 2 nights) and
RM599.00 (4-days 3 nights) are also
available. This inaugural launch of the
special package is certainly going to
attract record number of participants
so book early to avoid disappointment.
For booking,
visit the web-site:
www.sarawakborneotour.com
For more information, please contact Sarawak Cultural Village, Pantai Damai,
Santubong, 93752 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. T: +6082 846108, 846411 F: +6082 846988
E: enquiry@scv.com.my W: www.scv.com.my
Insertion by courtesy of Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Ministry of
Tourism Malaysia, (Sarawak Office) Parcel 297-2-1, Level 2 Riverbank Suites,
Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 93752 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
T: +6082 246575 F: +6082 246442
www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 29

Tourism – Product
Hush Puppies
Lea Sports Centre
Delta The Market Place
Popular Bookstore
Sibu’s one-stop
shopping
convenience
Delta Mall is the
ideal centre for all your needs
Sibu is the centre for upriver
trips to many other riverine
towns in Sarawak and
as an administrative centre, has
grown tremendously over the years.
Modern residential centres and office
blocks have complemented the fast
development of the town and Delta
Mall, located just mere minutes
from the CBD (Central Business
District), is strategically ideal as the
business address for whole range of
enterprises. The close proximity to
businesses and residential properties
as well as wide range of selections
in Delta Mall are key reasons for the
success of the mall.
Since its opening in 2007, Delta
Mall has one of the best selection of
recognized brand name outlets as
tenants including ‘Delta –The Market
Gintell
Sonice Furniture
Place’, a supermarket offering whole
range of products for families and
businesses, Watson’s, KFC, Lazo
Diamond, Tom’s Too, Lea Centre &
Lea Sports Centre, Skin Food, Hush
Puppies, Sonice Furniture, Sony
Centre, SenQ, and Popular Book
Company. Known for its appeal to
medium and high income shoppers
with the availability of branded
Sushi Kiosk
Digi
outlets, Delta Mall is equipped with
WiFi services for convenience of
customers and tenants while 24-hour
CCTVs provide security assurance
to everyone in the vicinity. There are
added conveniences of Maybank and
RHB banking kiosks inside while the
ample parking bays surrounding the
mall provide easy proximity access.
For parents with children, there is
no worry of them getting bored
as the mall has a play area just for
children on the first floor. When they
are done with their playing, why
not stop over at the Iglool where
you can get iced desserts and other
delicacies or Sushi Kiosk with mouthwatering
array of sushi, waffles and
crepes. Delta Mall has more than 40
commercial lots available inside for
wide variety of businesses and you
are assured of excellent services as
the complex is managed by Delta
Group of Companies, a recognised
name in the business community in
Sarawak and Malaysia.
Lazo Diamond Bausch K SenQ
For any enquiries, the management can be
reached at tel no.
+6084 325133,
313719 and fax no +6084 318433
or visit us at our office
located on SF 16-19,
Second Floor, Delta Mall, Lot 2831, Jalan
Pedada, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
(Opening hours: 10am to 9.30pm daily)
30 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Tourism – Product
• Normah Orchid
Kuching North
Orchid Garden
will fascinate
you with its
range of orchids
rchids,
oh orchids!
which is the ultimate satisfaction of
many orchid lovers. Also found here
are various hybrids of Sarawak’s state
official flower, the Normah Orchid
(Phalaenophis bellina) and the original
orchid. The garden is spread over 6.2
hectares, which gives visitors plenty
of room to move around as well as to
view all the displays here. Rain or shine,
this is one spot in the city where visitors
to Sarawak should not miss.
• Lady’s Slipper Orchid
Orchids have fascinated men
over the ages and continue
to do so today for one simple
reason; their beauty! Each orchid
flower is an art of nature with intricate
petal patterns, colours, shapes and
sizes, so much so that thousands have
found their way into stamps, dollar
notes of nations all over the world
and some even became their national
flowers. Borneo Island is a treasure
trove for orchids as some ten percent
of the species are found here!
To get a close up view of orchids in
the wild often require much climbing
up high trees or rock ledges as many
of these are epiphytes or those plants
species that grow on host plants but
are independent in producing their
own food. In Kuching, orchid lovers are
spoilt for choice; some 75,000 orchids
can be found in one single location,
the Kuching North Orchid Garden
near to the State Legislative Assembly
building and the historic Astana, official
residence of the Governor or Head of
State. Opened since 2009, this easy
to reach spot is easily one of the most
photographed places in the city as you
simply do not want to leave without
taking some pictures of these exotic
and enchanting flowers. The Garden
is beautifully constructed to portray as
much as possible the natural conditions
which orchids thrive in, with secluded
and shaded areas as well as sun lit
areas.
Of interest to the orchid connoisseurs
is the availability of the Lady Slipper
Orchid (Paphiopetilum saderianum)
here, one of the most sought after and
expensive orchid species in the world!
It is certainly a collector’s dream to
own one and to nourish it to flower,
The garden has a small cafeteria also
which visitors can sit and relax during
the visit. There are also various orchids
on display very near to the café also
which are often the first ones to catch
everyone’s attention. Many couples
come here too on their wedding day as
the garden is superb for photo shoots,
especially when there are thousands
of orchids in the background to make
every picture special. To ensure that
your visit is fruitful and enjoyable, you
should go early in the morning and
take your time looking over the flowers
and taking good pictures or videos of
these beauties!
Kuching North City Council (DBKU), Bukit Siol, Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya,
For further information, please contact
93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 446688, 370141 Fax: +6082 446414 Website: www.dbku.gov.my
[ Kuching North Orchid Garden opening hours: 9.30am - 6pm (Tuesday to Sunday & Public Holidays) • Closed on Monday ]
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 31

Tourism – Product
Tee time!
Featuring golf
courses in Brunei
Brunei is a favourite destination for many
eco-tourism adventures with pristine tropical
forests, astounding underwater scenery as
well as rich cultural heritage. As for golf, the first
major international tournament was held in 2005.
For the golf enthusiasts, Brunei offers fantastic golf
courses of international standards!
32 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Tourism – Product
Foremost, Bandar Seri Begawan,
Brunei’s capital is easily within reach
from most Asian capital cities, superb
infrastructure everywhere in the
Sultanate and world-class hotels in
this Abode of Peace as the nation
is common known. The world’s
golfing community shuns places
where huge crowds are always
present, preferring quiet, beautiful
surroundings for their passionate
pastimes and Brunei certainly fits
the bill. With three international
championship courses and two other
international standard ones, this
is the venue for golf like you have
never swung before. In fact, the
Royal Brunei Golf and Country Club
is so exclusive that even “tee-time is
never guaranteed!”
The Royal Brunei Golf and Country
Club was previously reserved for
dignitaries and friends of Brunei’s
Ruler, His Majesty Sultan Haji
Hassanal Bolkiah and only opened
quite recently to others. As expected,
the bookings to tee-off in this
par-72, 6,175-metre course is well
advanced and famous names like
former US President Bill Clinton,
Greg Norman, Seve Ballesteros,
Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and
Tony Jacklin have featured here. The
course set up by Ron Fream is based
on Augusta National of US Masters
fame with meticulously maintained
greens of US PGA standards.
The Jack Nicklaus designed Empire
Hotel and Country Club course
is arguably the most well known
golf course in Brunei, having been
the chosen venue for the nation’s
first international championship
tournament in 2005. The par-
71, 6,427-metre course is simply
magnificent in its layout, nestled
along the scenic shore of South China
Sea with five-star resort facilities to
compliment the stay for golfers, friends
and their families. There is nothing
that you shall want which cannot be
found in this resort, the epitome of
living in tourism paradise. Wait, there’s
more! At night, the 18-hole course
comes alive with the opening of the
floodlights, allowing for evenings teeoff
to those preferring less sun-tan like
the lady golfers. This venue is certainly
Brunei’s best gift to the international
golfing community.
RBA (Royal Brunei Airlines) Golf
Club, five minutes drive from the
international airport, was the first
public golf course in the nation.
The generally flat layout spread
over 6,380-metre with man-made
lakes strewn in plays well for most
golfers, even for the pros. As with all
golf courses in Brunei, bookings are
recommended here as more people
have begun to discover the wonders
of playing golf in the country.
Pantai Mentiri Golf Club is another
18-hole, par 72 course located just
15minutes drive from the capital.
Opened to the public, this 6105-meter
course has water features as the main
challenges and it also has panoramic
view of Brunei Bay. It was the venue
for the 1999 SEA Games and other
tournaments and complements
golfers with a fine restaurant serving
wonderful Asian dishes.
In the Seria district, the Panaga Golf
Club welcomes members only and
so visitors will need to have friends
with membership cards to play here.
The location along the South China
Sea is itself a compelling reason to
play here while there are many other
facilities in this Brunei Shell run club.
The 18-hole course was completed in
1964 though records show that it was
hosting golfers here as early as 1928.
For further information, please contact BRUNEI TOURISM, Ministry of Industry and
Primary Resources, Jalan Menteri Besar, Bandar Seri Begawan BB3910, Brunei Darussalam.
Tel: (673) 238 2822, 238 2832 Fax: (673) 238 2824 Email: info@bruneitourism.travel
www.bruneitourism.travel
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 33

Tourism – Events
Sarawak Tourism
Tourism Events
ApriltoJune2012
(Note: Event dates are subject to change without prior notice) For further enquiries, please contact:
Ministry of Tourism Sarawak - 2 nd Floor, Bangunan Baitul Makmur (MASJA), Medan Raya, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 319309 / 313
Fax: +6082 441277 / 5311 Website: www.minth.sarawak.gov.my • Sarawak Tourism Board - Tel: +6082 423600 Website: www.sarawaktourism.com
DestinationEvents
Borneo
Jazz
11 – 12 May | at Miri
The festival aim to be the leading tourism-driven
music festival in the region, assembling regionally
and internationally recognized jazz musicians and
showcasing Miri as a city of cosmopolitan and
relaxing lifestyle.
Pesta Irau Aco
Lun Bawang
31 May – 2 June |
at Pekan Lawas, Limbang
This festival is traditionally a celebration of the
rice harvest but now it showcases a variety of
Lun Bawang culture and events such as Ruran
Ulung (beauty pageant contest) and nguip suling
(bamboo musical instrument band).
Buffalo Race
Festival (Adau Gayo
Babulang & Lumba Kerbau)
8 – 10 June | at Kampung
Batu Danau, Limbang
Pesta Babulang is a buffalo race festival
which is significant to the Bisaya
community in Limbang. Organized by
the Bisaya Association and introduced to
promote tourism in this area.
ConferenceExhibition
Craft
Batik
Malaysia
May | at Miri Craft Centre
A tourism promotion that brings in Malaysian
Crafts and Batik from Peninsular Malaysia,
Sabah and Sarawak. Organised by the Miri
City Council and Malaysian Handicraft
Development Corporation (Sarawak), this
event aim at becoming an annual event like
Miri May Fest, which is held in May.
Miri May Fest
World
Harvest
Festival
26 – 27 May |
at Sarawak Cultural Village
Samarahan
Motorcross
Challenge
May | at Miri
Miri has acquired its city status on 20 th May 2005. Miri
City Council has organized various kinds of programmes
to commemorate Miri City Day. Miri has obtained one (1)
Record in Malaysia Book of Records on its main event held
in year 2007 and five (5) records in year 2010. Miri City
Day Celebration Programmes have been well received by
both the locals and foreign visitors.
Organised in conjunction with Sarawak’s Harvest
Festival known as Gawai Dayak highlighting exciting
cultural programmes such as :- • Theme play in Iban
legends • Ethnic beauty pageant “Miss World Harvest
Festival” • International cultural concert • Ironman WHF
2012 Competition • Ngabang or Open House visit to
Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu Longhouses
SPORTEvents
Baleh Kapit Safari
5 – 8 April | at RH Salang Pulau
Sibau Mujong, RH Bangkong Ng
Banyau Mujong, Kapit Riverfront
and Kapit Town
A two days rafting competition where participants get
the chance to manoeuvre the raft once used by riverine
communities and to experience the rich Iban culture in
their most natural environment.
23 June | at Kota Samarahan
Motorcross Circuit
A thrill one-day event, the ‘Samarahan Motorcross
Challenge’ is open to all Motorcross fans or
associations in Sarawak! With the objective of
promoting Samarahan as a tourist destination and
venue for aspiring new talents to be discovered.
Pesta limau
bintangor
14 – 20 May |
at Bintangor
This is an event to promote the
agricultural sector produced by
Bintangor local entrepreneur.
Other activities includes Trade Fair,
Agricultural Exhibition and Sport
Events. The highlight for this event
is the Decorative Float, Fireworks and
also City Cleanliness Contest.
Bung Bratak
Day
1 May | at Bung Bratak (Gunung
Bratak) Kpg. Tembawang Sauh, Bau
About 200 years ago, the Bidayuh built a fort and a
settlement on top of Mount Bratak, otherwise known as
Bung Bratak in their dialect. Their descendants now inhabit
30 villages in the district of Bau. Each year they recall their
history and foster brotherhood among the Bidayuh with
a festival on the mountain. Join them in their ancestral
home as they make the half-hour ascent to the mountain
peak to stage traditional games and dances and enjoy
local delicacies.
Sarawak Cub Prix
Championship
(National Status) Sibu Series
19 – 20 May |
at Bintulu Old Airport
The Sarawak Cub Prix 2012 is the 6 th edition of
the series which SARSA has successfully organised
this unique and prestigious event designed to be a
platform where aspiring local riders are spotted and
groomed for national championship. It has already
made invaluable contribution in boosting the sport
of motorcycle racing in Sarawak by uncovering
local talents who have gone on to be the national
champions and participating in the Asian series.
Tanjung
Manis
Fishing
Safari
28 May | at Sarikei
Tanjung Manis Fishing Safari competition has been
held since 2004. With the aim of promoting Tanjung
Manis as an eco-tourism destination, especially the
fishing sport activity. The area for the competition is
between Kuala Rajang and Tanjung Sirik.

Tourism – Events
Lan Berambeh
Sungai Bedil
25 – 27 May |
at Kampung Sungai Bedil, Kuching
Sarawak’s authentic and unique food will be
highlighted in this year’s ‘Sungai Bedil Food Festival
2012’, as part of the Lan Berambeh @ Sungai Bedil
Festival. Visitors can experience the local food and
atmosphere. Modern Malay villages that showcase
authentic culture and heritage to tourists. Visitors will
be able to watch demonstrations of how traditional
delicacies like Kuih Rangin and Celerot are made and also
get to sample the village’s iconic Cendol dessert.
FestiveEvents
Gawai Cultural
Performances,
Ngajat and
Sumpit Competition
9 – 10 June | at Godown
Amphitheatre, Kuching Waterfront
Gawai Dayak is celebrated by the Iban, Orang Ulu and
Bidayuh of Sarawak in early June to mark the riceharvesting
season. This enchanting festival showcases
traditional ceremonies and dances held in various ‘long
houses’ or communal home all over Sarawak. Relatives
and visitors are served rice wine or Tuak and chicken
cooked in bamboo.
Gawai Tourism
Extravaganza
18 May – 23 June | at Sarawak
Cultural Village, Kuching
Visitors can go for the ‘Gawai Special Package’ to
enjoy and experience the Gawai Dayak celebration
in Sarawak. The packaged offer are for 3 days 2
nights or 2 days 1 night. Venue for this programme
will be at the 3 longhouses of the Iban and Bidayuh
at Sarawak Cultural Village. The ‘Gawai Special
Package’ includes accommodation, transportation
and the special ceremonies such as Miring and
Ngiling Tikai.
CulturalEvents
Mukah Kaul
Festival
21 – 29 April |
at Kala Dana, Mukah
Kaul is a traditional festival celebrated by the
Melanau community living along the coast of central
Sarawak region. The festival is a ritual of purification
and thanksgiving to the spirit of the sea as well as
one of the propitiations for good fortune.
Kuching
Bridge
Congress
28 – 30 April |
at Sarawak Club, Kuching
An annual event attracting bridge players
from around the regional and internationally.
Tidal Bore
Carnival
6 – 8 April | at Tebingan Batang
Lupar, Sri Aman
The Festival is to promote harmony among local community
and to introduce Sri Aman town through tourism. Tidal
Bore or locally known as Benak occurs everyday with
different wavelength and heights. During spring tide, tidal
bore with high magnitudes can be observed clearly. The
Benak continues its journey another 30km inland, ending
near the small village of Engkilili in Sri Aman.
Sarawak
Jubli
Park Half
Marathon
6 May | at Sibu
An annual event organized by
The Sibu Marathon Club which
attract participants from all
over Malaysia for the one day
race at Taman Jubli, Sibu about
3 kilometers from Sibu Town
Centre.
Ba’Kelalan Homestay,
Culture & Heritage cum
Apple Picking
6 – 8 April | at Buduk Nur,
Ba’Kelalan
Come April 6 th 2012, it’s time again for the apple
harvest. People from near and far, in and around
the country will be arriving into Ba’Kelalan, a village
nestled in the heart of Borneo’s world renowned
and oldest tropical rainforest, blessed with subtropical
and amazingly fresh weather. Blessed with
such weather, it is no wonder why Ba’Kelalan is
home to Malaysia’s only apple orchard.
Miri City
Bike Week
11-13 May |
at Tanjung Lobang, Miri
Welcome to the biggest motorcycle event in
Sarawak. A gathering for bikers and motorcycle
lovers. Come and join us. Support our local
motorcycle events. “RIDE HEAVY METAL”.
1 Borneo 4x4WD
Expedition
28 May - 1 June | at Miri
Explore the diverse and wonder of the real and the
most exotic part of Borneo. The adventure will bring
you into the tropical forest of Borneo to experience
the unforgettable 4WD adventure, beautiful scenery
and experience something which most people have
not done. Sarawak, Sabah, Kalimantan and Brunei
Darussalam as part of the 1 Borneo Destination. The
event will highlight more on Sarawak Northern Region
potential rugged terrain for this extreme sport.
Malaysia Climbathon
Mount Santubong
BandarayaKu
26 – 27 May | at Mount Santubong
Malaysia Closed Climbathon Mount Santubong
BandarayaKu was held for the first time on 30 th April
2011. Throughout this event participant is invited to value
the beauty and panorama around Santubong which is an
icon for the State of Sarawak. At the same time, DBKU
invites participants to preserve the cleanliness around
Santubong while enhance the spirit of oneness towards
the national heritage.
Rafting Challenge
Sungai Kayan/Batang
Sadong Serian
26 – 27 May | at Kampung
Tema Mawang Tebedu, Pekan
Tebakang
A rafting competition whereby 3-5 members
in a group of participants will get the chance
to manoeuvre the raft through Kayan/Batang
Sadong River once used by riverine communities.

Tourism – Events
Apples from Borneo, Sarawak in particular, usually
cause many people to just laugh it off as a joke. You
have got to be kidding, growing apples in tropical
climate, as it is a temperate climate type fruit. Whatever, just
don’t bet on it as in the Ba’Kelalan Highlands in Miri Division,
apples do grow on trees and in abundance!
Take the flight from Miri City to Ba’Kelalan and pick your own
apples to prove to yourself that it is true; apples do grow in
Sarawak. This is after all one of the most favoured resort spots
in Sarawak for its cool and refreshing climate, clean air, clear
skies and ever smiling, friendly people. What was once an
experiment in fruit cultivation has today become an annual
event, the Apple Fest of Ba’Kelalan happening from 6 th - 8 th
April. The Ba’Kelalan apples are of various varieties namely:
the Anna, Rome Beauty, Granny Smith (also called Lady
Williams) and Manalagi.
Anna is red on top and yellow at the bottom, soft to the bite
and tastes sweet-sour. Rome Beauty is green with a reddish
tinge at the bottom and similar to Anna in taste but is crispier.
The Granny Smith is green and tastes sour, and is suitable for
cooking or making cider.
The Manalagi (Golden Delicious) is said to have got its name
when visitors from Batu Malang in Indonesia, where the
original seedlings were brought from, asked for more (“Mana
lagi” in Bahasa Malaysia) after eating one apple. This is the
variety that has become widely known as the Ba’Kelalan
Apple. This greenish yellow apple is sweet and crunchy and is
great for making apple pie and fruit salad.
While apples may steal the limelight during the fest, there
are also a few other temperate fruits, which have found their
way into the highland too like avocado, abiu, ice cream bean,
passion fruit and strawberries. The main staple crop for the
highland is of course the famous ‘Adan’ locally called Bario
rice, which is a tasty and premium rice here.
Ba’Kelalan
Apple Fest
2012
Apples
from
Sarawak
6 th - 8 th April
Naturally people do not just come to Ba’Kelalan for the
apples only; in fact, the annual fest featuring homestay and
cultural activities are the main attractions. Staying with the
locals, especially the Lun Bawang people enable visitors to
experience the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the highlands.
Due to the existing physical barriers, the people here are
very independent of the outside world when it comes to
sustainability, as they are able to get all their needs from the
surroundings. So, the additional infrastructures like roads and
airport have helped to bring the enchanting highlands closer
to the people, which in turn bring modern lifestyle necessities
to the highlands.
While apples may be enticing and appealing to many who
have probably never seen an apple tree before, the fruit is
just an additional attraction and reason to visit the highlands.
The fruit ventures will never be able to beat the established
players around the world but are there to provide novelty and
intrigue for locals and visitors from around the world. One
thing is for sure; the apples are freshly picked and crunchy,
tasty and can be easily made into jams and other products.
First time visitors to the highlands should come prepared, as
the weather may be chilly to some so having enough warm
clothing is advisable.
For more information, please contact Motour Sarawak Office,
Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, (Sarawak Office)
3 rd Floor, Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93300 Kuching,
Sarawak, Malaysia. T: +6082 235231 F: +6082 234010
www.motour.gov.my
36 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

WORLD
HARVEST
Festival
2012
26 th - 27 th May • Sarawak Cultural Village
Tourism – Events
Extravaganza
The World Harvest Festival
2012 (WHF) 2012, an ethnic
festival is one of the highlights
of the Gawai Dayak celebrations. In its
8th year, WHF is not only synonymous
with the festivities of the Dayak,
but has come to encompass other
ethnic groups in Sarawak as well as
the tourists, to help reflect the true
Malaysian spirit of the people. Ideally
organised at the Sarawak Cultural
Village (SCV) from 26 th to 27 th May
2012, it also helps to bring both locals
and foreigners together to experience
the true Sarawak culture.
The WHF was introduced in line
with Ministry of Tourism Sarawak’s
(MOT) objective to position it as an
international event on its tourism
calendar. The WHF provides the
opportunity for the non–Dayak to
understand the cultures, traditions and
aspirations of the Dayak community.
The awareness and interest created by
the festival promises to benefit both the
public sector and tourism industry.
Among the many highlights of the
WHF cultural event is the theme play
held on May 26th, 2012. “Selanting
Kuning & The Dragon King”, based
on the Bidayuh legend was featured
last year and this year it will be on the
Iban legend entitled “The Adventures
of Keling & Kumang”. What is unique
about this theme play is that the whole
Village becomes the stage, and the
entire play promises to overwhelm the
guests in audio and visual splendour.
Another highlight to capture the
festival and mood of the guests is the
ethnic beauty pageant “Miss World
Harvest Festival 2012”. This beauty
pageant revolves around the Iban
community theme. Fifteen beauties will
vie for the coveted title this year, which
never fails to add colour and vibrancy
to the festival. The proud winner last
year was Miss Suljirina Lucas, a 27
years old Berawan lass.
As always the Harvest Festival or Gawai
is celebrated on a grander scale with
the participation of cultural troupes
from other countries. This is evident in
the International Cultural Extravaganza,
with day time workshops. This year our
friends from Indonesia and Selangor
will be joining the festivities. A series of
joint workshop by the locals and the
invited troupes will be held during the
www.whf.com.my
2 days festival. This is the ideal time
for the visitors to have the opportunity
to learn about each community’s
traditions, foods and handicrafts.
For those who want to prove their
manly prowess, there is the Ironman
WHF 2012 competition. This is
another highlight in the festival that
involves 15 finalists who exhibit
‘superhuman’ strength in tackling
the traditional based activities
like blowpipe shooting, coconut
dehusking, 50kg gunny rice lifting,
wood chopping and mountain
climbing. Last year, Encik Amir Hanafi
emerged as the champion.
The WHF promises to be the fun-filled
event for the young and old. Bring
along your loved ones and make
this an affair to remember. What
awaits you is a cultural extravaganza
like no other. Tickets are on sale for
RM60.00 per person (non-residents)
and RM30.00 (local residents) at the
Sarawak Cultural Village.
Tickets are on sale at the
Sarawak Cultural Village.
For more inquiry or booking,
please contact Sarawak
Cultural Village (SCV) at
+6082-846 108, 846 411
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 37

Soul City
Community
based Tagang
System of
management
of rivers
have proven
successful in
Sarawak
Fish
for
life
An old and wise quote stated
that if you give a man a fish
you can only feed him for a
day but if you teach him how to fish,
he will be able to feed himself and his
family for a long time. This proverb
is one of the main objectives of the
Sarawak Agriculture Department in
trying to conserve the rivers, fishes and
provide riverine inhabitants a source
of food as well as income under the
Tagang System, a brainchild of Yang
Berhormat Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr.)
Alfred Jabu Numpang, Deputy Chief
Minister and Minister of Modernisation
of Agriculture and Minister of Rural
Development, Sarawak. Launched in
2005 based closely on a similar system
being practiced in neighbouring
Sabah, the system is adaptable to
include conservation of fish species,
stock enhancement, R&D as well as
aquaculture development in rural
areas.
52 areas in Sarawak, covering the
divisions of Kuching, Samarahan,
Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Mukah,
Kapit, Bintulu, Miri and Limbang.
Over the past seven years a great
deal of transformation has been
observed in the areas where the
system is in place, ranging from a
noticeable increase in number of
species of fish and other creatures
which were on the brink of
extinction in some rivers, recovery of
many dying rivers due to pollution
and other factors, increase in number
of catches for the participating
riverine communities. In fact, the
system has the potential to improve
the rural communities income
through additional activities like ecotourism
in cooperation with other
government and non-government
agencies in such promotions.
communities to observe. Firstly, the
river chosen must be suitable and
optimal for the purpose which means
that it must have certain zone(s)
with a depth of not less than 2-2.5
meter, has communities living nearby,
an organized taskforce made up of
members from the community to
implement and supervise the system
for the area. If all these conditions have
been met, the department will then
brief the community taskforce on the
system if everyone in the community
had agreed to the implementation of
the system. Additionally, a minimum of
two years without fishing is set aside
once the Tagang System is adopted
by the community and must be strictly
enforced with warnings, fines and
arrests.
In practice, the Tagang System imposed
three main zones on the stretch of the
river, namely, Red, Yellow and Green.
The red zone is strictly a no fishing
area while the yellow zone is open
for fishing once or twice a year. The
green zone allows for limited fishing
activities over certain agreed periods
by the working taskforce with the
Starting with just two focus areas,
the Tagang System now covers
38 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
To be successful, the Tagang System
as practiced in Sarawak introduced a
number of conditions, which enabled
the voluntarily participating riverine

Soul City
understanding that these activities will not deplete
or threaten the sustainability of the fishes found
there. By imposing these zones, the system allows
for the rejuvenation of the fish stock over time
while increasing the number of species and also
bringing about greater conservation of the river
system by the participating communities. When
the open season is declared by the taskforce in
charge of the area, the participating communities
are all eligible and entitled to an equal share of the
catches from the pool of catch. Based on the data
collected in Sarawak, some 19 species of fish and
other edible aquatic species have been recorded
in the samples and all results have pointed to a
promising future for the Tagang System here.
For further information, kindly contact
Inland Fisheries Division Agriculture Department Sarawak
Menara Pelita, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 441000
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 39

W
3
2
H
4
E
B
A
H
H
1
H
H
H
H
H
JALAN
H
H
S
H
H
I
H
A T
M
H
J
H
H
I
O
V
E R
S
E
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
N
A
T
H
H
Map
360 Urban Resort Hotel
360 Hotel Hock Lee
Centre
Crown
Square
JALAN
PENDING
Dorset
Boutique Hotel
J A L A N F O O C H O W
JALAN DATUK ABANG ABDUL RAHIM
Dewan
Masyarakat
JUBILEE
RECREATION
GROUND
MBKS
Swimming Pool
R I V
E R
Wet Market &
Hawker Centre
JALAN PETANAK
C H E N G H O
J A L A N A N G
JALAN PADUNGAN
J A L A N D A T U K
L I
W I L
M
A
JALAN SEKAMA
JALAN CH AWAN
S A R A W A K
Khatuistiwa
Riverbank Suite
Grand Magherita Hotel
RAHMAN
F R O N T
ABDUL
JALAN
Tribal
Scoops
Riverside
Majestic
Kuching
Wisma
Ting Pek King
ABELL
P A D U N G A N
J A L A N
JALAN
PADUNGAN
CHEOK
Kim Bay
Top Spot Food Court
Malaysia
Airlines
Ariva
Gateway
CAT
Statue
CAT
Statue
Chung Hua
No. 3 School
Hockey Stadium
JALAN SONG THIAN
Pullman
Hotel &
Resorts
Telang
Usan Hotel
360Xpress
Sarawak
Plaza
CAT
Statue
BAN HOCK
JALAN
JALAN DESHON
Hindu Temple
Hotel Grand
Continental
Centrepoint
Shopping Centre
Tun Jugah
Great Wall Crossway
Cozzi
Thiam Ming
SCR
Secret Recipe
Choon Hui
Cafe
Bus Asia/
Asia Star Office
Saramo Hostel
Carus Wood
at&a Home Ideas Sdn. Bhd.
Limetree
Hotel
Police
Station
Hong Kong Pau Cafe
Beds
Terminal One
Launge
Fire
Station
JALAN CENTRAL TIMUR
JALAN ELLIS
JALAN TAN SRI ONG KEE HUI
J A L A N L U M B A K U D A
JALAN SIMPANG
TIGA
Kua Ning
Temple
Sarakraf Pavilion
Home Stay
Mian Ann
Zest
Atok
Kopitiam AbSolutely
Sayang
Kuching South City
Council (MBKS)
Police
Station
Goodrich
JALAN MENDU
(JALAN CENTRAL BARAT)
E
TUN
Astana
Other ENquiries
Tourism Malaysia-Sarawak
+6082 246575, 246775
Infoline 1300-88-5050
Sarawak Tourism Board
+6082 423600
MAS Office
+6082 244144, 246622
Air Asia
+6082 283222
KCH International Airport
+6082-454255, 454242
LEGENDS
R
Orchid Garden
E
New State Legislative
Assembly (DUN)
R I V
S
K
A R
Fort Margherita
Square Tower
A
JALAN GAMBIER
India Mosque
A
Sarawak
Tourism Complex
INDIA STREET
PEDESTRIAN MALL
Police
Tourist Booth
Open Air Market
K U
C H I N G
R
W A T
JALAN MAIN BAZAAR
Textile Museum
Little Lebanon
Electra
House
JALAN KHOO H UN YEANG
MARKET
Souvenirs Shops
Siang Ti
Temple
LE B U H
CARPENTER STREET
Chinese Museum
Life Cafe
AJIB AH ABOL
DATUK
JALAN
2020
JALAN W AWASAN
CHINA STREET ULU CHINA STREET
Divisional Mosque
Police
Station
Mr.D’s
Berambih
Lodge
Residen Office
Yayasan Sarawak
JA L A N
L EBUH TEMPLE
LEBUH WAYANG
JALAN MOSQUE
Hong San Si
Temple
HAJI OPENG
PADANG
MERDEKA
Sikh Temple
Dormani Hotel
Tua Pek
Kong Temple
Medan
Pelita
Poliklinik
BARRACK
H H
JALAN McDOUGALL
TAHA
Merdeka Palace
Hotel & Suites
A N
TUN ABANG
Dewan Tun Abdul Razak
Muzeum
Arts Museum
A L
State & DBKU
Library
JALAN HAJI
Old Sarawak Museum
Islamic Museum
Red Crescent
Building
R
Aquarium
R
JALAN
J A L A N R A M L E E
Chung Hua
School
J A L A N
Hopoh
Shopping
Centre
My Bookstore
Radio
Television
Malaysia
JALAN KULAS
Top Hill Kitchen
Lodge 121
Heroes’
Monument
Islamic
Garden
Bank
Negara
Syariah
Court
SCR
Wisma Satok
JALAN SATOK
JALAN SATOK
RESERVOIR
PARK
Buhari Cafe
JA L A N
Kopi ‘O’ Corner
Telekom
Malaysia
RJ Ayam Penyet Kopitiam
SUNDAY
MARKET
Pasar Tamu
TABUAN
JALAN
SCR Xpress
TAMAN BUDAYA
JALAN RUBBER
ParkLane
Lodge
St. Joseph Church
SCR
JALAN PARK
Samudra
Court Hotel
Amphitheatre
JALAN NANAS
Sarawak Club
JALAN BADRUDDIN
JALAN BUDAYA
JALAN GREEN
JALAN BAMPFYLDE
C ROOKSHANK
TUN ABANG HAJI OPENG
Police Contingent
HQ
SRB Chung
Hua No. 4
Tunku Putra
International
School
Planetarium
Land & Survey
Divisional Office Intan
Civic Centre
JALAN PALM
• KUCHING AREA (SARAWAK) •
Hotels
Immigration Department
+6082 245661, 230280
Custom
+6082 333133
24-hour Public Service Line
+6082 555999
Taxi Service
+6082 480000, 341818
Police Station
+6082 245522, 241222, 999
Traffic Police
+6082 241133
Kuching Matang
Transport
Shopping
Centres
Petra Jaya
Transport
Food Outlet / Restaurant
/ Entertainment Outlet
JPJ
+6082 258811, 628700
DBKU
+6082 446688
MBKS
+6082 238080, 242311
Telekom
+6082 429191, 255994
Post Office
+6082 244141, 339937
General Hospital
+6082 230689, 257855
Sarawak
Craft Council
General
Post Office
Bank / ATM
Mosque Church Temple
JALAN
JALAN
Methodist Church
JALAN PISANG
Green Road
Secondary
School
Padawan Council
+6082 615566
SESCO
+6082 333111
Kuching Water Board
+6082 240371
BOMBA (Fire Brigade)
+6082 241033, 994, 417712
Rescue 991
+6082 256685
JKR
+6082 203100
Taxi
Station
General Hospital
1. Sarawak Tourism Board
2. Visitors’ Information Centre
3. Sarawak Tourism Federation
4. Tourism Malaysia Office
Baptist Church
40 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Tourism – Events
A
gathering
not to be
missed!
Get ready for the biggest
cultural fest in Sarawak on
6 th -15 th July 2012 in Sibu!
Once again the unique gathering
of Sarawak’s diverse ethnic groups
comprising Iban/Bidayuh/Orang Ulu
(Dayak Pavilion), Malay/Melanau
and Chinese communities will be
featured at the Borneo Cultural
Festival at Sibu’s Town Square.
Visitors should take note that the
actual celebration takes place during
the ten days leading to 15 th July,
which marks the end of the festival
where daily performances by these
ethnic groups will be held.
daily use. Of course, children and
young at heart will enjoy themselves
at the Fun Fair, which is part of the
celebration for this year at BCF.
Amongst the interesting aspects
of Tradex Fair will be calligraphy,
drawing, painting and photography
displays from various cultures and
even electronic products to thrill the
younger crowd.
BCF has always attracted large
following due to the mixed theme
event and being located next
to one of Sibu’s main shopping
complexes is certainly an added
bonus as everything is within walking
distance. As they say, there is always
something new at BCF and this year,
you can expect even more surprises!
BCF, as the festival is popularly
known, combines the charms of
the ethnic groups with interactive
response with visitors. The Sibu Town
Square will be transformed into a
set with three corners devoted to
each of the groups where these
groups will be performing their
nightly shows. You can be sure that
the venue will be a busy attraction
for visitors from near and far as it
is an opportune time to see these
traditional performances in one
single location!
Also held at the same venue will be
the Tradex Fair (Trade and Exhibition
Fair) and so visitors also get to see
and experience new gadgets and
products for homes, offices and
For further information, please contact Sibu Municipal Council . Level 19-24, Wisma Sanyan No. 1, Jalan
Sanyan, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6084 333411 Fax: +6084 320240 Email: smc@smc.gov.my
Website: www.sibu.gov.my • Sarawak Tourism Board . Tel: +6082 423600 Fax: +6082 416700
• Visitors’ Information Centre Sibu . Tel: +6084 340980 Fax: +6084 341280
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 41

Bario Food
Festival
Tourism – Events
26 th - 28 th July
Head to Bario for the annual
Bario & Kelabit Highlands
Food & Cultural Festival for
exotic and traditionally farmed foods,
wild foods, jungle trekking, wild life
watching and traditional games from
26 th - 28 th July 2012.
Themed “Building Our Community”,
this unique community annual
run event that takes place in the
picturesque Kelabit Highlands is not to
be missed. Known as Pesta Nukenen
Bario the festival is in its 7 th year and
was established in 2005 to celebrate
the remarkable food, farming and
forest heritage of the longhouses and
village communities in the Kelabit
highlands.
It was officially launched by His
Excellency, Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang
Muhammad Salahuddin, the Governor
of Sarawak in 2006. Since then, it has
grown each year with visitors coming
from all over the country and overseas.
Just as previous years, an exciting and
fun programme has been prepared
for the festival this year. This includes
a ‘Bario Rice Farm Walk’ where visitors
can learn about rice production with a
½ hour guided walk around a family
owned organic farm followed by a
long house visit.
Visitors can also take part in the ‘Wild
Food Walks’ a three hour walk to
discover some of the common wild
vegetables found on farms, streams
in the forest followed by cooking
demonstrations. The festival site
where the hub of the event takes
place, stalls will be set up displaying
handicrafts, food and fun traditional
games will take place.
On the final day of the festival,
awards will be given for cooking
A three day
celebration of food,
farming and forest
heritage in the
beautiful Heart of
Borneo to be officiated
by Dato Seri Idris
Jala, Minister in
the Prime Minister’s
Department and CEO
of PEMANDU
demonstrations, best stalls and festival
food. The judging for these awards
begins on the first day of the festival.
Bario has a wealth of family owned
homestays, lodges and longhouses
in Bario for visitors to experience the
warm hospitality of the Kelabit people.
During the festival period, guests may
commission a special ‘Pesta Nukenen’
meal at home stays and cafes made
with Bario Rice and seasonal foods.
Those who wish to try long distance
trekking can ask their home stay or
Bario nature council guides about two
to six day treks in the beautiful forest of
the highlands. Routes include: Bario-Pa
Longan [2/3 day return trip] ; Bario - Ba
Kelalan [4-6 day return trip] ; Bario-
Pa Umor-Lembudud [transboundary
FORMADAT walk 4-6 days] ; Bario-Pa
Longan-Long Bawan-Lembudud-Pa
Umor [transboundary FORMADAT walk
7-9 days]. Shorter excursions to Pa
Mada, Pa Dalih and other community
settlements and longhouses in the
Central Kelapang area can also be
arranged in Bario.
According to Lord Medway, Jason
Gathorne-Hardy, who has been Patron
of the festival on voluntary basis since
the 3 rd year, the festival became more
established after linking up the Kelabit
Community with a similar festival called
the Alde Valley of Suffolk in 2005. “I
set up a project in the UK celebrating
local foods, farming arts and landscape
heritage in the Alde Valley area of
Suffolk in 2005. So on my first visit to
Bario, I saw the potential of Bario Food
Festival”.
He stressed that it was first and
foremost a community event,
promoting community values and
community knowledge. Secondly, it
is designed to celebrate the cultural
heritage of foods, farms and forests
in the Kelabit highlands and promote
Sarawak as a destination for cultural
tourism.
Previous Chairman of the festival for
two years in a row, Datin Sri Mariam
Balan is a firm believer in keeping the
rich cultural heritage of the Kelabit
remains intact and crucial despite the
arums of modern world reaching the
highlands. “No doubt, embracing
modernity is very good for our people
but we must ensure our heritage,
traditions, customs and practices of
the community is preserved. Therefore,
Pesta Nukenen is a wonderful way to
showcase and share all this with the
rest of the world”, she said.
This year’s festival Chairman, Esther
Balan-Gala who is taking over from
2011 Chairman Datin Sri Garnette Ridu
said that an exciting programme will
be in store for the festival in addition
to what has been done in previous
years. “We look forward to welcoming
visitors to the festival,” said Esther. She
further added that MASWings flies in
twice daily from Miri.
The local Patron for the Pesta Nukenen
2012 is Gerawat Gala, President of
Rurum Kelabit Sarawak.
Pesta Nukenen Bario is managed
by the Kelabit Highlands
Community with support from
Rurum Kelabit Sarawak (a key
sponsor), E-Bario, The Alde Valley Food
Adventures UK, Herring Bone Design
Ltd, Sarawak Tourism Board, Sarawak
State Government and Ministry of
Tourism Sarawak.
For further information, kindly contact +6019 894 8780 Dara Tigan, +6019 438 1777 Cr John Terawe,
+6019 806 0710 Lilla Raja-Hodder
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 43

Tourism – Events
Borneo International
Kite Festival in
Bintulu Sarawak is
now bigger, better!
The
amazing
flights
It’s back, bigger and better
this year! The Borneo
International Kite Festival in
Bintulu, Sarawak will once again be
showcasing kites of all sizes, colours
and shapes this coming 26 th – 30 th
September 2012. Flying majestically,
gracefully or mysteriously, these
amazing art pieces are a marvel when
in the air, ever so charming and always
a thrill to try your hands on. Yes,
enthusiasts and kite experts will offer
spectators the opportunity to fly their
kites as well as giving instructions and
tips on handling them.
To experience these thrilling sessions,
just drop by the old Bintulu airport
which is right in the middle of the
fast developing town during the last
weekend of September for a chance to
really get a feel of these kites. From the
ever graceful Malaysian Waus to the
multi-sections butterflies and on to the
stunt kites, the touch and feel of these
kites are completely astounding and
challenging to those new to the sport.
In the hands of these professional kite
handlers, it seems the kites can do
almost every thing, turning, dropping
straight down, shooting right up or
dance in the air! If standing under the
sunny sky is not your thing, just stand
in the shades and enjoy the spectacle
of these flying beauties.
When the show is over, you can
always pick your way to the various
kite workshops for a detailed
understanding of how these kites
work and how they are made or
assembled. Wau kites workshops
will be held while stunt kites clinic
should prove interesting. A large
number of spectators also buy
souvenir kites to decorate their
homes and to tell wonderful stories
of these kites during visits by friends
and relatives. In some homes, these
kites, strategically placed on the
ceilings are the envy of many and
especially so when flying in the
neighbourhoods on fine sunny days!
Children are also entertained to
various events like drawing and
colouring competitions during the
festival days. There are also songs
and dance sessions, sampling
of different types of food and
opportunity to visit the Bintulu Trade
and Food Fair which will be held
concurrently during the weekend
where cultural performances provide
nightly entertainments. Certainly the
Borneo International Kite Festival is
an opportunity to really enjoy
the sights, sounds and food of
the people here as well as
learning about a hobby
that really flies!
For more information on the event, please contact the
Bintulu Development Authority at
Wisma Bintulu, No 1 Jalan Tanjung Kidurong or call (6) 086 334680 /
3322277, fax: (6) 086 330099 and website at www.bda.gov.my
or www.borneokite.com
44 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Tourism – Events
Borneo
International
26 th - 30 th September 2012
Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 45

MAJL IS SUKAN NEGERI SARAWAK
Tourism – Sports
The Malaysian Games or Sukma is the ideal
showpiece to spot potential talents of
athletes and others as every state parade
their best to win the medals at stake. Styled like the
Olympic games, Sukma comprises different games
and sports where the participants are those who
have not yet reached the top level in their respective
events. Up and coming young talents compete
against each other while those who have attained
world and regional rankings are usually not allowed
to take part.
Sarawak stands shoulder to shoulder with the
major sporting states in many events at Sukma, an
annual affair in Malaysia. In fact, in various sporting
events Sarawak are the leaders like Wushu, Ten-pin
bowling, Swimming, Track and Field events as well
as Taekwondo, Women’s Hockey to name a few. For
2012, Sukma will be held in Pahang, from 7 th to 16 th
July where 24 different sports will be competed in.
For Sarawak, she will only be competing in 22 sports
as she will not be taking part in equestrian and
sailing events.
SUKMA XV
7 th – 16 th July 2012
Sarawak hopes to finish
among top three in this annual
competition
Two of Sarawak’s brightest stars are swimmers
Erika Kong and Hii Siew Siew who are projected
to win at least some gold in their pet events. Their
friends in ten-pin bowling too are expected to rake
in a few gold medals based on their performances
to date in various competitions. Wushu athletes
are also keeping their fingers crossed as they have
been getting good results in a number of regional
competitions, which should give them the edge
when competing in the games. The track and field
coaches have quietly predicted that their chargers
will also return with gold medals in some events
based on their current performances at meets but
would not want to speculate much!
Sukma game hosting is on a rotational basis and
though Pahang is quite a distant away for many
Sarawak parents, they nevertheless can still follow
their children as the games are usually carried out
live on TV. Watch out for these games during the
month of July as they are always full of drama,
spirit and cheering for teammates during the
competitions!
For more information, please contact Sarawak State Sports Council at
D/A Dewan Suarah Kuching, Jalan Taman Budaya, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: (D) +6082 247012, (O) +6082 251330 Fax: +6086 419029
46 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Food
Salciccia casereccia is actually
Italian for lamb or beef
sausages, freshly skewed and
grilled to perfection; in Sabah, there’s
only one place everyone knows that
serves the best Italian cuisine – Little
Italy! This newly introduced dish is
being added to bring regular and new
customers more delightful choices to
this family run restaurant right in the
heart of bustling Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah’s
capital City. Of
course, there’s
more!
Salciccia Casereccia
Since opening its doors in 2000, this
warm and inviting restaurant has been
creating waves with the meals they
served; visitors and locals in Sabah
come often for their daily fresh pastas
and sauces which is the pride of the
city while the pizzas are authentic
cheesy ones like those found in Italy.
The grilled lamb and beef specialties
have been in their menu since day one
and continue to be the favourites for
many. With the overwhelming demand
from customers, the restaurant has
been slowly expanding its choices,
insisting on only freshly made dishes.
Just how popular is the place Well,
Tourism Sabah has awarded it’s coveted
Little Italy
Restaurant in
Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah is simply
wonderful!
Stupendo!
Ravioli Combo
Pizza Little Italy
prize in 2003 due to the attraction of
the place among locals and visitors alike.
All who have been here will agree that
taste, portion of servings and freshness
are incomparable and those are the main
reasons to return with friends, family and
especially foreign visitors. There’s no hurry
when dining here as the cosy interior
makes everyone relaxed and enjoy their
precious moments.
Pasta-Penne Alfredo
At Little Italy, start with the home-made
appetizers that will wet your appetite
for your main course of pasta or grilled
favourites. The desserts are always
refreshing and serves to make the dining
experience complete! Regulars, take note,
Little Italy has introduced a new dish!
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
www.littleitaly-kk.com
Ground Floor, Hotel Capital, Jalan Haji Saman, 98813 Kota Kinabalu.
PO Box 146, 89407/Likas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel/Fax: +6088 232231 | Email: emiliano.kl@gmail.com
Opens daily from 10.30am to 11.00pm
48 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Food
Ethnic cuisine
at its best
Bunga Kantan Salad
Labo Senutuq SM
Mashed Red Rice Wrapped In Leaf
Cinnamon Tea (left) & Cinnamon
Coffee flavoured with Bario
Highland-grown cinnamon (right)
What’s a visit
to Sarawak
without
sampling its
indigenous
food
Homemade Low-Fat,
Low-Cholesterol Ice-Creams
Abeng
Tapioca Cakes
A
melting pot of various cultures,
Sarawak offers a wealth of
cuisines from different races
and ethnic groups. From Malay food
to Western dishes, the variety will
leave you spoilt for choice. But for
those who are in search of truly unique
gastronomic offerings, cuisines of the
indigenous groups of this wonderful
state are simply not to be missed.
One place that’s a definite must-try is
Tribal Scoops Restaurant and Snack
Bar. The main highlights here are the
traditional Orang Ulu dishes of the
Kelabit Highland community and also
the homemade ice creams and gelatos
that are low in both fat and cholesterol.
The cooking style at Tribal Scoops is very
much influenced by the owner Esther
Balan’s Kelabit mother and aunts, whom
she said are brilliant cooks and make
excellent traditional desserts. Her love
for Sarawak has lured her to share the
rich heritage of various ethnic food, art,
music, product and social culture with
visitors coming to Sarawak in a true
1Sarawak spirit, which you will see vividly
reflected at the restaurant and amongst
her staff. Served a la buffet, guests are
offered a selection of meat and fish
dishes, as well as vegetables and soup
of the day, all on rotation basis. The one
item that is a must-have, and is always
in the daily menu, is the Ayam Pansoh or
chicken cooked in bamboo, a traditional
chicken soup flavoured with tapioca
leaves and some fragrant spices, then
simmered in a bamboo cane for added
flavour and aroma.
Another highlight is the Nubaq Layaq,
which is traditional leaf wrapped red or
white mashed rice. The isip leaf in which
the rice is wrapped lends it an inviting
aroma. The leaf also doubles as a plate.
Also a traditional favourite is the Labo
Senutuq which is Kelabit for beef floss
/ serunding daging. There’s also fish
floss (A’beng) for those who are not a
big fan of meats. Besides these, there
are plenty of others to choose from - all
with their unique set of flavours and
wonderful colours, and all made with
natural ingredients, many of which are
found in abundance in the jungles of
Sarawak. Varieties include Udung Ubih
(tapioca leaves), Bunga Kantan Salad,
Pumpkin with Daun Timun Soup and
Fish with Terung Asam. All these are
lightly seasoned with all-natural Bario
Highland salt, rich in trace minerals and
is believed to have healing properties.
Also available for sale at Tribal Scoops.
There are a variety of drinks you can
order, but why not try the traditional
cinnamon ice tea or cinnamon
coffee Traditionally enjoyed by the
communities of the Kelabit Highlands
and also used as a cure for hangovers,
these beverages are pleasantly
refreshing. The cinnamon used in these
beverages also lend them their natural
sweetness - no sugar required. There
are also desserts such as light and fluffy
tapioca cakes, healthy flourless fried
banana, delicious Kek Lapis selections
and ice creams of various flavours. The
interior is kept simple yet it is able to
give you a sense of what Sarawak is
all about. Its walls are adorned with
traditional handicrafts of the Dayak and
Orang Ulu communities. One section
in particular boasts paintings inspired
by the indigenous communities of
Sarawak, and are available for purchase.
Tablecloths with traditional Sarawakian
designs are used to decorate the tables
while a cluster of traditional fishing
devices hang down from the ceiling,
used creatively as lamp shades instead.
Tribal Scoops also offers free wi-fi,
which is a plus for those who just can’t
part with their Facebook or twitter.
For tourists who want to take home
a piece of Sarawak with them, there
are traditional music CDs, handicrafts,
paintings and other Sarawakian items
available for sale at Tribal Scoops. Tribal
Scoops does not serve pork, neither
uses lard nor MSG in all its dishes.
Meats and fish are obtained from Halal
suppliers. What sums up Tribal Scoops
cooking is pure healthy cooking serving
the freshest organic jungle vegetables,
no garlic and uses only vegetable stock
where even the strict vegetarian would
be happy. Meanwhile, Tribal Scoops also
hosts private parties and functions, with
customisable menus to suit customers’
wants and needs. Outside catering is
also provided, complete with tablewares
and kitchen helpers who will do all the
cleaning up afterwards. All customers
literally need to do is entertain their
guests and have a great time. So for a
taste of authentic ethnic cuisines, head
to Tribal Scoops when you come down
to Kuching.
Tribal Scoops Restaurant & Snack Bar
No.10, 1 st Floor, Block H, Jalan Borneo, Taman Sri Sarawak 93100 Kuching, Sarawak (opposite Hilton Hotel). T: +6019 8181717 F: +6 082232539
E: embgala@gmail.com (Opening Hours: 11am-9.30pm, Monday to Thursday | 11am-10.30pm, Friday to Saturday & Closed on Sunday)
www.tribalscopps.com
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 49

Food
Panini
White Dark Chocolate Baked
Cheese Cake
Chocolate Milk
Shake
Chicken Pie
First class
food,
surprisingly
affordable
Spagheti Carbonara
Rib Eye Steak
Oreo Cheese Cake
Apple Raisin Baked Cheese Cake
Cocoa Napoleon
One of the most impressive
newest food outlets in Sibu,
Tom’s Too, offers exclusive
Western and Local Specialities. The
restaurant is located on the Ground
Floor of Delta Mall, which is currently
also the most happening Shopping
Mall in town. The Mall is situated
along one of the busiest main roads
(Jalan Pedada), 20 minutes drive
from Sibu Airport and a mere 5 to 10
minutes from the Town Centre.
Tom’s Too, named after the famous
Tom’s of Kuching, offers the same
dishes, cakes and desserts, just
like Tom’s in Jalan Padungan. After
enjoying the last 10 years of first class
food and dining at Tom’s, the rich and
famous of Sibu and all those who
appreciate good food and dining are
delighted that they can now also enjoy
similar dining experience in their very
own hometown.
Tom’s Too is tastefully designed,
lavishly and uniquely decorated,
furnished with quality wood and
furnishings. The restaurant has an
exceedingly warm and cosy ambience,
ideal for all ages, not only to dine in
but also for anyone to hang out and
romance in over cups of rich aroma
coffee, excellent teas, soft drinks, soft
serve ice cream and of course their
wide selection of good wine.
Well-known for their cakes; cheese
cakes, mousse cakes, carrot cakes,
Apple Crumble, just to name a few of
their huge varieties, taken with their
drinks of coffees, milk shakes, hot
chocolates, teas, draught beer or wine
are also a real draw for diners.
Wide range of Western and Local
main courses, with favourites like
Lamb Shanks, Rib Eye Steak, Spaghetti
Carbonara, Prawn Aglio Olio, Club
Paninis, Lemongrass chicken and
Teriyaki fish. Pies like chicken pies and
soups like pumpkin soups are also
some of their famous dishes.
The restaurant can accommodate
over 100 guests (both Indoor and
Outdoor/Terrace) at any one time,
so if you are looking for an exclusive
venue for functions, buffets or private
banquets, you need not look any
further. Moreover, there is also a
private function room which can be
booked and reserved for a seating
dinner capacity of 30 persons. This
beautifully furnished VIP/Function
Room is carefully and thoughtfully
setup, well-equipped with overhead
TV/Projector, complete with built-in
speaker/podium stand, which can also
be used for presentations, seminars or
workshops purposes as well.
Bookings/Reservations can be made
at +6084 322301 Or +6012
8822259.
Lamb Shank
Spaghetti Bolognese
UG14-17, Delta Mall, Lot 2831 Jalan Pedada,
96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6084 322301 HP: +6012 8822259
(Opening hours: 11.30am to 10.30pm daily)
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 51

Food
Flavours
of
Sarikei
• Burger bun
Sarawak’s ‘Food Basket’ is often
associated with Sarikei, an important
agricultural produce area and a town
famous for its pineapple. With the development
of Tanjung Manis, one of the key areas marked
under SCORE, Sarikei has become even more
strategic as it is the closest town to the new
development area. Most of the food, water and
supplies including banking, administration and
hospitality industry for Tanjung Manis come
through Sarikei.
When passing by Sarikei, there are a few
eateries that you should not miss as these are
considered the flag bearers for authentic and
savoury food found in this riverine town.
Aik Seng located along Jalan Wharf has the distinction
of being the must stop-over point for Sarawak’s Head
of State whenever he passes by here! There are two main
specialties offered by this 30-year old traditional coffee shop –
‘Loh Mee’ and Toast. Certified as halal, the noodles come with
chicken meat in the traditional dark sauce with prawns, eggs
and assortment of garnishes. The proof is in the eating!
Toast here comprises burger bun delicately toasted over
charcoal fire before generous spread of peanut butter,
pandan flavoured kaya on one side while the other side has
a thin slice of pure butter. The home-made kaya is a secret
family recipe, not too sweet, smooth in texture and great
tasting. Aik Seng operates between 7am to 5pm daily.
Loh Mee •
Glory Café along Jalan Bank is easily located as the shop is usually packed during
operating hours of 6am to 5pm (closed on 1 st , 2 nd Thursday of each month). Almost
everyone coming here are for the town’s most talked about Tom Yam prawn noodles.
Modeled after Penang’s famous dish of the same name, here the main attraction is that
the Tom Yam sauce is home-made, also another secret family recipe. Operating for the
past eleven years on the same spot, it is easy to deduce that the café must be doing
something right to continuously attract customers here! When the dish comes, you will
see that it is literally overflowing with prawns and big ones too. Surprisingly, the sauce
is not too spicy, despite the name and even suitable for young ones. Chef and owner of
Glory Café learned his trade at Labuan before operating his own shop here by offering
something different for the town folks and visitors.
• Tom Yam prawn noodles
Kompia •
Hiek Lik Café along Jalan Nyalong is the town’s premier kompia seller, a
Foochow specialty comprising two slices of hard buns holding minced
pork in between them. Unlike everywhere else, their pork fillings are crunchy
which adds to the delight of biting into these kompias. The shop operates daily
from 7:30am to 11:30pm and it is not uncommon to see queues of people
waiting for their order of kompias at night here!
52 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
Wonton • • Kampua
Two other famous dishes here that
visitors should try are kampua
and wonton, traditional Chinese
specialties. Many customers say
that the kampua is most like the
original as only lard is used in the
preparation, which makes it very
similar to the traditional recipe. Even
the wonton is sprinkled with a dash
of wine to increase the flavour and
differentiate it from all others. It is
usually the only coffee shop that
operates until late at night so if a
bedtime snack is calling you, this is
the place to head to when in Sarikei.

Food
Sit back,
Relax
and
Unwind
Life Café Kuching,
Sarawak
Uniquely Cozy
Of all the food outlets in the
City of Kuching, Sarawak,
Life Café is distinctly different
in one major aspect – it is not out to
impress you with a wide and mindboggling
range of dishes. Instead, Life
Café offers its own selective choice of
delicious dishes; and at the same time
provides a unique and cozy ambiance
where you could sit back, relax and
unwind in private, as couples or with
friends or family. Be it for a leisurely
afternoon snack or a relaxing evening
meal, or spending some time to read
or surf the net while having a favorite
beverage, Life Cafe is the place to be.
Time seems to stand still as you soak
in the serene atmosphere of Life Cafe
while enjoying the varied tastes and
flavors of its Asian cuisine and tea
beverages. Its signature dish is the
well-known and popular spicy noodle
or “malak mian”, a lip-smacking
combination of home-made noodles
and special spicy sauce, which you
can have with stewed beef or lamb or
pineapple chicken or even vegetarian.
And what better way to consume these
appetizing dishes than with a refreshing
tea beverage, such as a steaming jug
of passion fruit tea or an ice-cold glass
of smooth pearl milk tea. In addition,
there are various delightful snacks, from
dumplings to egg pancakes, as well as
hot nourishing herbal soups, to dine
and feast on at Life Cafe.
The history of Life Café goes back
more than 15 years ago, where the
first original outlet was set up at Ewe
Hai Street in Kuching. It has now
expanded to include five outlets,
four in Kuching, Sarawak, and one in
Johor, Peninsular Malaysia. However,
until today, Life Café’s classical décor
with heart-warming themes of wood,
bamboos and lanterns at its outlets
has been consistently preserved
throughout… exuding a familiarity,
which loyal patrons can easily identify
with and love! But more importantly,
its concept of providing good food
and beverages, a variety of reading
materials, clean surroundings and
courteous services have been carefully
maintained and upheld.
So, the next time you are wondering
and looking for a place to sit back,
relax and unwind in comfort and
privacy, either socializing with close
friends or chit-chatting with family
members, or bringing business
associates or overseas guests to
experience some authentic Asian
cuisine in a memorable environment,
think of and come to Life Café.
Life Café @ Ewe Hai Street Ewe Hai Street, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 425707
Life Café @ Brighton Square* Jalan Song, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 285688
Life Café @ Train Terrace* Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 232199
Life Café @ Sutera Taman Sutera Utama, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. Tel: +6012 7873330
Life TERMINAL Café @ Kuching Sentral Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 531099
(*Opens daily from 10am to 11.30pm)
Life Café Kuching Sdn Bhd Tel/Fax: +6082 236024 Email: lifecafe@hotmail.com
Wedsite: www.lifecafe.com.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 53

Food
Fresh &
Trusted rice
supplier Liansin
promotes
“Fresh” brand
of fragrant rice
Fresh brand is another type of
fragrant rice to be reckoned
with in Sarawak and rest
assured that this is quality rice!
Foremost, the supplier is Liansin,
one of the largest rice wholesalers
in the state with Beras Corporation
Sdn Bhd (BERNAS) being their major
stakeholder. As the first such supplier
to be awarded the Halal certificate
for its rice supplies as well as the ISO
9001:2000 Quality Management
Certificate and internationally
recognized HACCP certificate for food
safety, you are certain that the rice is
top notch quality.
New!
The brand ‘Fresh’ is both eye-catching
as well as appropriate for the rice
packaged as they are fresh and new
which always give the best fragrance
when properly cooked. It is high quality
rice that is suitable for homes and
businesses and reasonably priced for
the market. By choosing ‘Fresh’ you are
guaranteed the rice is indeed fresh.
As always, the ‘Liansin’ signature is
prominent on the packaging to assure
buyers of their real professionalism in
the industry. Their supply chain too
had been carefully audited and verified
to meet all the standards of their
certifications with the added assurance
of their high tech plant. Putting
all these important and essential
credentials on the rice brand is Liansin’s
guarantee that they only supply the
best rice in the market as reputation is
something that one simply cannot buy
but must earn and also must continue
to constantly prove that the company
has not been found lacking. Their
philosophy of only supplying quality
rice is a principle that will never be
compromised! Not only is supplying of
top grade rice their principle, Liansin’s
signature includes a heart for the
community. Liansin has long been
involved in its “Bowls for Humanity”
campaign since 2011, whereby for
every 10kg of rice (indicated with the
logo of the campaign) purchased,
25grams of rice will go towards the
feeding of the orphans in Malaysia.
Liansin is committed to ensuring that
every Malaysian has access to rice. So
watch out for the logo and contribute
your part to the cause.
54 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Food
Gawai
Promotion
‘Fresh’ is most suitable for the home and
good for the whole family, including
young children and the elderly. The
modern rice cookers in the market have
helped in ensuring the perfect rice every
time the switch is pressed to cook as they
have been tested and proven.
Currently, Fresh brand fragrant rice is
readily available in many supermarkets
and specialty stores throughout the
state.
For more information, please contact
Liansin Trading Sdn Bhd (516882-W),
Lot 2041, Section 66, Jalan Kisar, Bintawa Industrial
Estate, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 333555, 335558, 334558
Fax: +6082 335599 Email: liansin@streamyx.com
www.liansin.com
With every purchase of a 10kg bag Fresh
brand rice, be entitled to a free stainless steel
tablespoon. While stocks last!
CHECK IT OUT TODAY
& DON’T MISS OUT!
Available at all leading supermarkets, hypermarkets
& retail shops throughout Sarawak
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 55

J. TAN
BE NG
HE NG
Hotel
Guest Rooms
Our thoughtfully designed signature modern spacious and luxurious
rooms promise a restful stay. The Horizon Suites provide additional
comfort city & sea view features 180 rooms comprising of 80 Superior
(30 sqm), 78 Deluxe (30 sqm),4 Grand Deluxe, 15 Junior Suites (40
sqm), 2 Deluxe Suites (60 sqm) and 1 CEO Suite (90 sqm) offering
marble bathrooms, timber floor and Super King-Size beds in Suite
Rooms with plush duvet. Elegant décor featuring modern artworks
complement deluxe amenities, coffee and tea making facilities, 42”/50”
plasma tv, writing desk and much more to offer.
A new exciting
4 Star hotel in
The Heart of
Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah
EuroAsiaDeluxeKing •
SuperiorRoom •
• Gymnasium
• SwimmingPool
* Promotional rate starts from RM200.00++ per
room per night with breakfast for two guests
* Terms & Condition apply
Facilities & Amenities:
Room Service Available • Electronic key lock system • Telephone with IDD call •
Free high speed internet access (wired) • Data port and dual line phones • 24-hour
concierge • Newspaper • Complimentary drinking water • Complimentary Coffee
& Tea • 42/50 inch Plasma TV • DVD Player in Suite Rooms • iHome System in
Suite Rooms • Cable TV channels • International power outlets • Baby sitting on
request • Accessible or handicapped rooms are available • Mini bar • Centralize air
conditioning system • “CHUBB” Electronic safe deposit box • Iron and Ironing Board
available in all rooms • Roll Away Bed upon request • Rain shower • Magnified
makeup mirror • Bathrobes, Yukata and Sarong • Bathroom Scales • Hairdryer
Be it a company meeting, banquet,
wedding or room accommodation,
Horizon Hotel is your ideal venue
strategically located in the heart of the city
MeetingRoom •
• TheAsianRestaurant
MEETING & BANQUET FACILITIES
HorizonHall • • DecoCafé&Bar
For all your meetings and events, Horizon Hotel, Kota Kinabalu
is your perfect choice:-
• 4 versatile meeting rooms of variable sizes located on
Level 1, with Boardroom seating from 12 guests up to
300 guests for Banquet set-up. All meeting rooms are
well equipped with up-to-date facilities and state-of-the-art
audio visual equipment to cater for all your requirements.
Meeting Rooms are available for private parties, sit down dinner
or buffet of between 30 to 50 guests.
Meeting package starts from RM40.00nett per guest
WATERFRONT
EXPLANADE
WARISAN SQUARE
SHOPPING MALL
CENTRE POINT
SHOPPING MALL
J.
ALBE RT
PORT VIEW
KWO K
J. KG. AIR 4
J. DUA PULUH J. LAIMAN DIKI
J.
J.
HANDICRAFT CENTRE
SINSURAN COMPLEX
HAJI
C HO NG
L.
L. GOMANTONG
TIAN
SINSURAN
YAAKUB
J. PADANG
VUN
J. SEMBILAN BELAS
CENTRAL MARKET
Jalan Tun Fuad Stephen
BANK
NEGARA
J. LAPAN BELAS
Jalan Tugu
COURT
HOUSE CITY
COUNCIL
STATE
LIBRARY
KK
PLAZA
POST OFFICE
Jalan KK Bypass
PADANG
MERDEKA
SOUTH CHINA SEA
J. TUJUH BELAS
SEGAMA
COMPLEX
Jalan Tun Razak
Jalan Pantai
SUNDAY MARKET
J. ENAM BELAS
GAYA STREET
J.
DE WAN
WISMA
MERDEKA
J. TUN FUAD STEPHEN
WISMA SABAH
L.
SABAH TOURISM
BANK
Jalan KK Bypass
FERRY TERMINAL
J.
G AYA
JESSELTON
POINT
J. E WAN
Horizon Hotel
Jalan Pantai, Locked Bag 2084, 88999 Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: +6088 518000 Fax: +6088 518111
Email: info@horizonhotelsabah.com
www.horizonhotelsabah.com
JESSELTON POINT
FERRY TERMINAL
Call us at +6088 518000
ext-2307/2308 for reservations
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 57

Hotel
Facilities and Amenities: Ensuite bathrooms • 24 hours reception • Complimentary use of air conditioning units • Complimentary use of hair dryer
• Complimentary use of towels • Complimentary toiletries (soap and shampoo) • Complimentary use of minibar fridge • Complimentary use of wired internet
access in every room • Complimentary use of wifi in hotel lobby • Complimentary use of washing machines and dryers in laundry room • 32”LCD TV with
more than 20 local, cable and satellites channels • Security room safe • Bottled drinking water • Luxury shower • 5 star beds and satin cotton sheets •
Tea & coffee making facilities • Airport transfer (minimum charge) • RFID Security Door Locks
Wisma Phoenix, Jalan Song Thian Cheok, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 236060 Fax: +6082 237070 Email: reservation@360xpress.com.my
58 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
Rates from RM49.99 nett *
* terms & conditions apply.
www.360xpress.com.my

Hotel
360 Urban Resort Hotel is located
in Hock Lee centre, Kuching. Tower
A which comprises 178 rooms offer
majestic views of the surrounding city
below. Each room in Tower A comes
with either King, Super Singles, or
Queen size mattresses, mini-bar, coffee/
tea making facilities, TV and FREE wifi
connectivity and individually controlled
air-conditioning. There is also a Coffee
House within the same block where
guests can try their various brands of
coffees and teas in a relaxing setting.
Shopping and other food choices
360 Urban Resort Hotel
Kuching has top notch
facilities for discerning guests
are available at the central podium
which link the two towering blocks of
hotels. Equally convenient too are the
varieties of shops within the vicinity of
the hotel’s location like banks, clinics,
eateries, recreational ground.
For those visiting for the first time,
360 Urban Resort Hotel Kuching
will definitely be the choice for their
next visit as the services and facilities
offered are top notched, 5-star quality
at very affordable 3-star prices!
Rates from
* terms & conditions apply.
RM99.00 nett*
Hock Lee Centre, Hotel Tower, Jalan Datuk Abang Abdul Rahim, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 484888 Fax: +6082 484999 Email: reservation@360kuching.com Website: www.360kuching.com
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 59

Hotel
GATEWAY
KUCHING
There is much comfort in waking up away from
home yet feel completely at ease. While promises
are abundant in the hospitality line; be it a king
size bed with feather soft sheets and pillows or
simply exclusivity for the high flyers, often, it is the
little things that count. A heartfelt smile, a cup of
coffee in the cosy lounge or simply waking up to
a magnificent view from your room, those are the
little things that Ariva Gateway Kuching does best.
We
are
At Ariva Gateway Kuching, their priorities are
unwavering. “That’s why, in conjunction with
us turning one year old, Ariva Gateway
Kuching is offering RM1 room rates*. The
RM1 room rate is a reward for their loyal clients
who have been staying at Ariva Gateway Kuching
as well as for those who wish to check out the
comfort of staying in spacious apartments with
living amenities that allows more flexibility yet feels
just like home.
* Terms and conditions apply
For booking and enquiries, contact us at +6082 250958 or
email us at Kuching.Enquiry@stayariva.com and
for latest property, kindly visit www.stayariva.com
NO 9 Jalan Bukit Mata, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 250958 Fax: +6082 259958
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 61

Miri’s premier
Fun,
Relaxing
and
Luxurious
Venue
Plan a holiday for the whole family
in luxurious green surroundings
when in Sarawak’s Resort City Miri at
the Eastwood Valley Golf & Country
Club; it’s everything you’ll ever want.
Golfing greens and practice range,
swimming pool with rowing boats in the
lake, sauna rooms, team building facilities
and jungle trekking for the adventurous are
some of the ample things to do here.
The dining venue overlooks the lake with
splendid food all day long and can also
cater to big events like weddings and
family reunions. Since opening its doors
in 2005 this has become the premier
address for social gatherings and also
for seminars and other similar events.
Lot 1379, Block 17, Jalan Miri-by-pass,
98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6085 421010 Fax: +6085 417858
Email: info@eastwoodvalley.com
www.eastwoodvalley.com
Choices of luxury rooms with
various combinations from single
to deluxe or family to longhouse
are available and all are well
equipped with modern
amenities for a good night
rest. Anyway you look at
it, with Eastwood Valley
Golf & Country Club
as your destination
of choice in Miri,
you are assured of
having a fun and
enjoyable time
here!
The recipient of Ministry of Tourism Sarawak
2011 Award for Most Innovative Individuals,
Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort in Miri, is
ample proof that the resort constantly reinvents
itself to provide the best to its guests. From the
humble origins of a secluded resort in the midst
of a tropical jungle to one for team building
and family fun, it is one place that can cater to
different range of demands.
Visitors can choose from a range of
accommodation here while meals and facilities
are all ready for those who have booked in
advanced. Children get to enjoy their fun time
in the mini swim pool and water park while
jungle trekking is an adventure for those who
want to get away from city living. Choose your
preference here and you can be sure that the
resort will prove that their award is not just
merely for decoration – they are always looking
for new ways to make guests welcome and
enjoy their stay here!
Award winning Borneo
Tropical Rainforest Resort
Miri has what it takes for
jungle
great outdoors
adventure
KM36 Miri-Bintulu Road, Lot 15, Block 2, Sibuti Land District, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6085 407198, +6085 613888 Fax: +6085 613808
Email: info@borneorainforestresort.com
Miri Office: Lot 101, Airport Road, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6085 613888 Fax: +6085 613808
www.BorneoRainforestResort.com

The center point
with newly
refurbished rooms
in bustling Sibu
Located right in the heart of
the bustling town, Tanahmas
Hotel is about as close to the
center as you can get here.
Everything, from shopping to
entertainment, business to
pleasure, is just around the
corner or mere walking distances away. Convenience is
staying in this strategically sited hotel!
Adorned with awards for its facilities and services,
Tanahmas Hotel is the choice for corporate and family
visits with 120 newly refurbished deluxe rooms to choose
from and ample facilities, amenities to satisfy every needs!
Check out the hotel at its website (www.tanahmas.com.
my) or call for reservations.
Facilities in
room:
LCD TV with 21
channels, Free
wi-fi inside hotel,
Personal unit
adjustable airconditioned
units,
Hot shower, towels,
Tea/Coffee making
facilities, Safe box &
writing desk.
Online booking, please log on to
www.dorsetboutiquehotel.com
Centrally located, brand
new furnishings in
all our Standard,
Deluxe and Superior Rooms
at competitive prices. Clean
rooms with fully equipped
modern amenities like TV,
Coffee/tea making machines,
hot showers and free Wi-Fi
inside hotel. Excellent and
efficient services to make your
stay enjoyable and relaxing!
Suitable for business and
pleasure, individuals, families
or groups with facilities
for seminar, conferences
or meetings with seating
capacity of 100 (theater
format).
Lot 277, Block 5, Jalan Kampung Nyabor, P.O. Box 240 96007 Sibu,
Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6084 333188 Fax: +6084 333288
Email: tanahmas@streamyx.com
www.tanahmas.com.my
No. 175, 175A-C, Jalan Sekama, 93300 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 347799 Fax: +6082 346799
Email: reservation@Dorsetboutiquehotel.com

Education
Preservation
of wood
Researchers: M. A. Affan, M. A. Salam,
Fasihuddin B. Ahmad and Ismail Jusoh
The following features two of the products
by Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
that won during the Seoul International Invention Fair 2011
in Seoul Korea
Since time immemorial wood
has been the most widely
used component in the
history of world civilizations. Wood
still command significant aspects
of our lives in both developed and
underdeveloped countries as sources of
transportation like boats, furniture, fuel
and for recreational activities. Equally
significant in the utilization of wood
is its preservation, a process which
continues to be much researched on
everywhere the commodity is used. As
the world increasingly looks towards
conservation of natural resources and
the sustainable utilization of them,
preservation of wood becomes even
more acute each passing day!
Sarawak has vast natural forest
resources and with the emphasis
on conservation and sustainability,
UNIMAS (University Malaysia Sarawak
through its Faculty of Resource
Science and Technology) has taken
on the role of researching many of
these wood resources in the field of
applications as leading governmental
agencies like Forest Department and
others have long conducted research
into species, propagation, quality
and strength as well as herbal and
medicinal potentials. The university
knows that wood loses its mass
and weight due to natural forces of
decay brought about by biological
and environmental factors therefore
studies are made on ways to mitigate
and lessen these impacts for greater
diversity in the utilization of wood in
future.
In a recent study, the university
reported that wood when treated
with organotin compounds (tin
based chemical compounds
with hydrocarbon substitutes),
they showed significantly less
deteriorations from biodegradation
while also more environmentally
friendly than other toxic compounds.
The study noted that there was less
weight loss when wood was treated
with the organotin compound and
also are low priced and non-leached.
What all these means is that not
only is the process less hazardous
to our health in the application but
also could cost less and would not
leached into the environment and
cause damage. According to the
university, these new findings will
eventually find their way into the
business aspects of world economy
and possibly into benchmarks for
treatment of wood everywhere!
(a) (b) (c) (d)
• Wood decay test on agar petri dish (a) Control (b) [MeSnCl2(APCT)] (c) [PhSnCl2(APCT)] (d) [Me2SnCl(APCT)]
64 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Education
(left to right) Assoc. Prof Dr
M.A Affan, Assoc. Prof Dr
Zainab Ngaini and Senior
Lecturer Dr Ho Wei Seng
At UNIMAS (University Malaysia
Sarawak) they have successfully
developed a kit, which can do exactly
what the industries are looking for in
the field of amplifying DNA via PCR
without prior DNA purification. Aptly
called a fasTiP-X Kit, the machine
simplifies the process while also
saves cost and time. It also does not
use liquid nitrogen nor hazardous
chemicals and therefore suitable for
high-throughput of genome analyses.
DNA
extraction
of plant samples
Researcher: Dr Ho Wei Seng
It is a fact that majority of people
in this world do not know
anything about DNA extraction of
plant samples nor the process of
identifying compounds and other
plant content in the samples. To
those in the research industry like
forestry, biological and herbal
laboratories, factories and chemistry,
such information is vital for their
work. As such, the faster these
simple extractions can be done and
results produced, the better it will
be for them to move into the next
step or stage of research on the
materials.
With the new device, there are only
three simple steps. Firstly, transfer the
plant samples into the fasTip-X Extract
Buffer by touching the samples with a
Harris Uni-core puncher. Next, incubate
to lyses the plant cells and finally use
the incubated solution for polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification.
As can be seen the whole process
is simple and easy for anyone with
competent to handle. The time factor
is important in the processing as results
can be gathered in a short time and
also very minimum sample material is
required. The sample can be amplified
>3 kb and works with many varieties
of plant samples. It is also obvious that
the process is safe as no hazardous
chemicals are used. Most importantly,
the device is cost effective and the
difference could be as much as US$7
when compared to conventional
extraction methods per sample.
For better and closer look into
these new findings at UNIMAS,
prospective investors and businesses
should directly consult the university
and work in collaboration with
them. After all, what is good for
the research team will eventually
be useful and cost effective for the
industries in the long run.
Faculty of Resource Science
and Technology
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 583161 Fax: +6082 583160
www.unimas.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 65

Education
The timber industry in
Sarawak has developed from
being just log exporter to
selling semi-finished timber products
and high quality wood-based
products like furniture pieces and
medium density fibreboard (MDF)
over the past fifteen years. These
developments have brought about
greater revenue to the state from
the exports and also produced new
generations of skilled craftsmen
and business entrepreneurs, which
will ensure the timber industry’s
prosperity in the future.
One aspect of concern from these
developments was the buildup of
residue wood waste,
especially from the
sawmills. Due to the
different range of
timber industries,
many different types
of waste products
were produced
from basic sawdust to
shavings, log ends
to pillar core and
reject veneers to trim
ends. Initially, these
were disposed off but
new technologies and innovations
have given rise to uses for these
waste. Medium density fibreboards
(MDF) made from wood waste
have resulted in the creation of
new products and also revenue
while directly reducing wood
waste. Particleboards too have seen
increasing demand while biomass
pellets, charcoal or briquette and
woodchips are by-products, which
have demand from other sources.
All these products are increasingly
closing the loop of waste generation
from the timber industry here and
making the industry more efficient
as well as more eco-friendly.
The use of wood residues for
fuel generation has been around
for a long time and continues to
be a source of clean fuel for the
timber industry. New and better
technologies have enabled these
fuel sources to be more eco-friendly
by not emitting carbon dioxide
(CO2) in the process. As the industry
continues to chart progress, the
ongoing research on finding new,
innovative ways to make it more
efficient and environmentally friendly
will continue to be pursued.
Reinventing
Wood Waste
Taking the timber industry
to new heights
For more information and all those interested should write, call or visit
Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC),
Wisma Sumber Alam, Jalan Stadium, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching,
P.O. Box 194, 93702 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 473000 Fax: +6082 442691 Email: stidc@pusaka.gov.my
www.sarawaktimber.org.my
66 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Education
Getting into
Top UK
Universities,
Medical &
Dentistry
Schools
British Council
has answers
to your further
education in UK
In Sarawak the British Council
is the best conduit to accessing
information on studying in UK; it
has the complete list of universities,
colleges and schools all over
UK specializing in virtually every
profession, trade and skills. The
Council’s Education UK is the official
website to assist international
students to learn about all these
educational institutions and
facilities as well as useful tips about
particular places and courses. In
fact, over 1.8 million people all over
the world use the site each year to
learn about studying in UK.
For many who may be unfamiliar
with the UK, there are also over 3000
scholarships available in UK institutions
for students that can be found through
the website. Apart from learning about
these opportunities, the website also
informs about the cultural diversities of
the UK and prepares foreign students
for their arrival in the various regions
of UK. As one of the oldest and most
trusted site for education UK around
the world, the Council however,
does not actively promote individual
institutions over others in delivery
of information to all those who are
interested.
On 1 st July 2012 in Kuching,
the British Council will
be hosting a Workshop:
Getting Into Top UK Universities,
Medical/Dentistry Schools which
will feature renowned speakers
from UK giving useful lessons on
writing good personal statements
and preparations for interviews. Each
session is limited to 10 persons. A
nominal fee will be charged for those
interested. Similar workshops will
also be conducted in Kuala Lumpur
and Penang on 30 th June and Kota
Kinabalu on 1 st July.
If you are still wondering about furthering your studies but unsure of what to do, where to go and how to apply to institutions of
higher learning, visit the British Council for more information. The British Council can be reached at Sarawak Office: Room A15
& A16, Chung Hua Middle School No. 1, Jalan Pending, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. T: +6082 346 044 F: +6082 342 199
E: sarawak@britishcouncil.org.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 67

Conference
22 nd - 24 th May 2012
Borneo Convention
Centre Kuching
1 st South
East Asia
Women
Entrepreneur
Conference
There is little doubt that Asia
will be taking the lead in the
world economic recovery
in the next five years, especially
with economic powerhouse China
providing the impetus for growth.
The economies of South East Asia
are very closely tied to China’s
growth too and are one of the
main benefactors from the close
relationship. To leverage the regional
cooperation of the South East Asian
nations, the 1 st South East Asia
Women Entrepreneur Conference is
being organized in Kuching, Sarawak
on 22 nd – 24 th May 2012 by DUBS
Dewanita and supported by the
Sarawak Women Bureau. Comprising
conference and exhibition, this is
the opportune event for women
entrepreneurs from across Asian
nations of Singapore, Thailand,
Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines
and Malaysia to pick up useful
information on latest business trends
and areas of growth, innovative
products coming to the market and
expanding business plans as well as
68 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Conference
in the most exotic food region of the
world. The satisfaction and surprises
of food connoisseurs in Asian nations
will always be a talking point after
every visit as the industry is always
innovative, creative and rewarding in
experience.
learning first hand of products from
site visits.
Listen to inspiring women
entrepreneurs at the conference
and gain insights into their success
as they provide the keynote talks
and lead the break out sessions for
closer interactions with participants.
Increase your networking reach
to wider markets and form useful
partnerships for future growth while
expanding self knowledge and
understanding of different cultures
and people from Asia. Obviously
there will be plenty of investment
opportunities present for the savvy
entrepreneurs when meeting with
the large number of business-like
women at the conference and
nothing beats meeting a person
face to face when planning to set
up business relationship. Technopreneurs,
consultants and business
architects will be available to provide
expert solutions and innovative ways
to enhance businesses, which will
be reaching out to the regional and
international arenas.
Of particular interest to many
entrepreneurs will be the branding
and packaging seminar and
consumerism seminar in the
breakout sessions. With the right
looks and approach for each market
area, the potential for products
taking off will be much higher when
packaged to appeal to the regional
tastes of particular nations. There
will also be a regional tourism sector
in the breakout session to increase
understanding and reach of tourism
players in the region as this is one
sector that is experiencing rapid
growth in all countries in Asia. With
tourism expanding, the food sector
too naturally expands in relation to
the increase influx of visitors and
participants at the conference will be
meeting counterparts from different
regions to share dining experiences
In addition to the conference,
participants will also be able to
visit the exhibition, which will
showcase the latest in technology
and innovations for business and
other applications. It will also
provide opportunities for investors to
evaluate potential business ventures
and seek partners to further their
investments reach in the region.
As usual, service providers with the
latest in equipment and machineries
will be on hand to demonstrate
their products and services with the
aim of securing more businesses
and brand awareness. Naturally
too, at a women’s conference, you
can be certain that beauty products
exhibitions will be at the forefront
with the latest skin and beauty
treatment products as well as
accessories and other necessities of
women.
Register early and save up to SGD
140 by just paying SGD 480 from
the standard rate of SGD 620.
Remember, walk in participants
will have to pay SGD 780 so it pays
to book early! The standard rate
applies for those registering after
15 th March 2012. The BCCK (Borneo
Convention Centre Kuching) venue
is Sarawak’s most beautiful and
purpose built centre for conferences,
seminars and exhibitions with
distinct areas for each. Easily
accessible with ample parking bays
BCCK is also equipped with the
latest in ICT connections and food
outlet within the centre.
Sarawak Women’s Bureau • Jalan Bakti off Jalan Sultan Tengah, Semariang, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6086 446980, 446178 Fax: +6086 447937
Dewan Usahawan Bumiputera Sarawak • Sublot 4-12 & 13, 3rd Floor, DUBS Commercial Centre, Lot 376, Section 54, Jalan Petanak, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak,
Malaysia. Tel: +6082 233133 Fax: +6082 423134 Website: www.dubs.com.my
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 69

Furniture
www.elkfurniture.com.my
Smart Partnership
KL / SELANGOR
S. Star Furniture Design Sdn Bhd (Shah Alam) +603 - 7846 6903
BJ Furniture Sdn Bhd (Gombak) +603 - 4024 2011
Vilano (Cheras) +603 - 2788 0926
Home Star Furnishing Sdn Bhd (Ampang) +6012 - 359 4840
Bello Design Sdn Bhd (Petaling Jaya) +6012 - 267 4076
ELK Furniture Sdn Bhd (Klang ) +603 - 3341 2688
ELK Furniture Sdn Bhd (Ambang Botanic) +603 - 3324 2238
TERENGGANU
SPPhua Excel (K. Terengganu) +609 - 623 1808
PENANG
Eng Wah Home Center Sdn Bhd (Penang) +604 - 646 4298
JOHOR
U Casa Home (Segamat) +607 - 931 0539
Home Life (J) Sdn Bhd (Johor Bharu) +607 - 353 9696
PAHANG
Perabot Woon Wah (Kuantan) Sdn Bhd +609 - 567 2245
CF Chan Furniture & Renovation (Temerloh) +609 - 296 6709
KEDAH
Classy Glory Furniture Sdn Bhd (Alor Setar) +604 - 732 2355
IPOH
Happy Home Livin Furniture (Ipoh) +605 - 526 2682
( 493415-V )
SARAWAK
Wee Hua Boo Trading Sdn Bhd (Kuching) +6082 - 246 641
Comfort Furniture Centre (Sibu) +6084 - 335 561
Sin Siang Hai Trading Sdn Bhd (Miri) +6085 - 415 015
SABAH
Glory East Sdn Bhd (Tawau) +6089 - 762 466
Casarano Miva (Sandakan) +6089 - 227 721
Ken Fat Furniture Sdn Bhd (Kota Kinabalu) +6088 - 714 015
70 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012

Furniture
WHB Furniture
provides ideal solutions
to home and office
requirements
Understanding
customers
needs
Every home deserves
new sets of furniture
as new fashion, styles
and materials increasingly make
them affordable, comfortable
and more environmentally
friendly. Customers too are more
conscious now when purchasing
furniture to fit their lifestyles as
well as aesthetic of their homes
and offices. At WHB Furniture in
Kuching, Sarawak this discerning
eye to matching customers need
and taste is foremost in their mind.
“Nowadays, many homeowners,
offices look for innovative and
practical pieces of furniture when
furnishing homes or offices,” said
Nicholas Sia, Manager of WHB
Furniture. “Recently we introduced
a new range, Mavis Fabric Sofa,
export quality products which
come with a lifetime warranty on
the wooden frame plus 5-year
warranty on seat, back cushion.
This warranty gives customers
peace of mind on their purchase
as most have experienced poor
wood-based pieces but still prefer
wood to steel or iron for aesthetic
reasons.”
types of fabric covers for your new
sofa. These can also be washed
and are generally cool when in
contact to our skin, even without
the air-conditioning on. So these
furniture pieces are also highly
suitable for offices too.
Sitting on the high-density foam
sofa provides you with a sense of
firmness and more importantly,
comfort. It does not immediately
sink under your weight but slowly
absorbs and disperses it around,
providing a soft feeling of the
sofa shaping to your back. WHB
Furniture also assures customers
that the seats as well as the back
cushions are replaceable so they
can always look forward to having
‘new’ furniture when tired of the
original pieces!
Remember too that WHB Furniture
is not only selling sofas; they cater
to every part of your home as well
as office requirements as they do
customize furniture and fittings
of curtains, blinds, cabinets and
wardrobes. Drop in and chat with
their friendly staff or look for
Nicholas who can find solution
to all your interior and exterior
decorations of homes and offices.
Another unique feature of Mavis
Fabric Sofa is that the cover can
be changed so there can be many
different colours and designs over
the course of the year! Not only
can the covers be changed, the
type of fabric of these covers too
can be to your specifications. In
fact, WHB Furniture has over 100
different kinds of fabric for you to
choose from when deciding on the
www.whbfurniture.com
WEE HUA BOO TRADING SDN BHD • Lot 102, 2½ Mile, Rock Road, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 246641, 240775 Fax: +6082 240295 Email: enquiry@whbfurniture.com
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 71

Muslim wear
First stop for those making
the trip to Mecca
It is the duty of every Muslim to
perform the Hajj at least once
in their lifetime and travelling
to Mecca for the pilgrimage is in
itself full of excitement, fulfilment
and adventure for first timers!
Regardless of the season, pilgrims
wear special clothes (Ihram) which
strips away all distinctions of wealth,
status, class and culture; as all stand
together equal before Allah (God).
but also essential items like the
Quran, prayer beads, prayer rugs,
which would also make good gift
items for weddings or any special
occasion.
Under the men’s section, there are
different varieties of Jubbah, or long
dress, prayer hats (Kopiah) and rugs
while the women’s section feature
Jubbah, prayer outfits, scarves etc.
If you are planning a pilgrimage to
Mecca, or just looking for something
different, do visit the House of Ziarah
as you’re sure to find quality Islamic
items at affordable prices.
In Kuching, for those intending to
go to Mecca for Hajj or Umrah can
now shop in advance in preparation
for their trip at the newly opened
House of Ziarah, a lifestyle Islamic
clothing and accessories store. The
outlet is both a retail centre and
wholesaler for all the needs of those
going to the Hajj and Umrah as well
as everyday Muslim wear. In fact,
they not only carry essential clothing
72 | BorneoTalkApr-Jun2012
House of Ziarah aims to be a one
stop centre not only for Hajj and
Umrah but also for your everyday
Muslim needs. They have exclusive
handmade beaded scarves for special
occasions, children’s baju kurung,
boy’s baju melayu and jubbah just to
name a few. They also have specialty
items like Quran covers from Egypt,
perfumed prayer rugs and scarves all
the way from Turkey.
For more information, please contact
House Of Ziarah
1 st Floor, Lot 332, Jalan Rubber,
93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
T: +6082 429272 F: +6082 421272
E: houseziarah@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/houseofziarah.com

Live the Dream:
No More Excuses
Author: Larry Winters
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 9781455516209
RM59.90
At the age of 24, working with his
wife at a car wash, Larry Winters
was struggling to get by. He decided
he needed to make a change for
the better, so he seized control of
his life and, day by day, built his
own business. Along the way, he
learned many lessons about sacrifice, personal
responsibility, determination and independence. Live the Dream: No
More Excuses, is Winters’ inspiring story of his journey from a young
man with no ambition to a man in control of his financial destiny. He
uses examples from his own life to teach readers how to gain financial
freedom for themselves. Most importantly, Winters stresses how self
limitation is damaging and holds people back, keeping them from
achieving the successful lives they desire. LIVE THE DREAM provides an
inspirational blue-print for readers to gain financial freedom – to give up
excuses and achieve their life goals, all while staying grounded in what
really matters: family, friends and faith.
Books & Movie
It Worked for Me:
In Life and Leadership
Author: Colin Powell
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780062135124
RM89.90
Colin Powell, one of America’s most
admired public figures, reveals the
principles that have shaped his life and
career in this inspiring and engrossing
memoir. A beautiful companion to
his previous memoir, the #1 New
York Times bestseller My American
Journey, Powell’s It Worked for
Me: In Life and Leadership is a
trove of wisdom for anyone hoping
to achieve their goals and turn their
dreams into reality. A message of
strength and endurance from a
man who has dedicated his life
to public service, It Worked for
Me is a book with the power to
show readers everywhere how to
achieve a more fulfilling life and career.
MPH BOOKSTORES THE SPRING • Lot 114, 1 st Floor, The Spring Shopping Mall,
Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: +6082 244 800 Fax: +6082 244 801
Website: www.mphonline.com Business hour: 10.00am - 10.00pm
We will offer these selected titles featured in this issue at 20%* discount to BorneoTalk readers.
Readers to cut-out coupon from the magazine or download and print from www.enjoy365.com.my
and present it at MidValley, Subang Parade, Megastore (1 Utama), Great Eastern
Mall (Jalan Ampang), KLIA Airport, The Spring to enjoy the special offer.
Only original coupon or downloaded coupon from www.enjoy365.com.my is accepted •
This offer is valid at MPH Bookstores indicated above • Not valid with any other offers or
promotions • This coupon is not exchangeable for cash • Valid until 30 th JUNE 2012
filmPreview
Tel: 6 082 234 077
Tuesday | Ladies Day, Ticket only RM6
(not applicable for male and public holiday)
Wednesday | Movie Day, Ticket only RM5
(not applicable for movie marked (“) and public holiday)
*All booked tickets must be collected 45 min before show times.
April
2012
The Avengers
Genre: Adaptation, Sci-Fi/ Fantasy, Action/
Adventures Rated: PG-13 Director: Joss
Whedon Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Samuel
L.Jackson, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Jeremy
Renner, Scarlett Johansson
Synopsis: When an unexpected enemy emerges
that threatens global safety and security, Nick
Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping
agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in
need of a team to pull the world back from the
brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring
recruitment effort begins.
Genre: Sequel, Comedy, Action/Adventure
Rated: PG-13 Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Stars:
Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine
Clement, Tony Shalhoub, Sharlto Copley
Synopsis: Agents J and K are back... in time. J has
seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with
the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens,
perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner.
But when K’s life and the fate of the planet are put
at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to
put things right. J discovers that there are secrets
to the universe that K never told him -- secrets
that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the
young Agent K to save his partner, the agency, and
the future of humankind.
MAY
2012
Man
in
Black III
June
2012
Prometheus
Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rated: PG-13 Director: Ridley Scott Stars: Noomi
Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris
Elba, Sean Harris, Kate Dickie
Synopsis: A team of explorers discover a clue to
the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them
on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of
the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying
battle to save the future of the human race.
Apr-Jun2012BorneoTalk | 73