Highlight medan niaga satok by FAMA & hometown ... - Borneo Talk

Hometown FavouritesA Marketof ComfortThe newMedanNiaga Satokis the placeto buy localproduceandexperienceexotic foodGet ready for Kuching’s mostdiverse market openingschedule in September!Yes, Medan Niaga Satok will be thenew modern venue for traders ofthe old Sunday Market along JalanSatok. Located just a stone’s throwaway across the Satok bridge at PetraJaya, it will be a shopping marketparadise for sellers and shoppersas the modern facility is purposebuilt, with high roof structure forcooling comfort and shelter fromthe rain while lighting brightens upeverything. With an area of 12.25acres, Medan Niaga Satok is certainlyable to house all the previous tradersand more are welcome to pry theirtrades here.FAMA, the federal agricultural agencytogether with the state government,jointly set up this market which willhave ample parking bays, wide openaccess roads, toilet and washingfacilities as well as separation of thewet and dry sections. In addition, italso has marina landing facilities tocater to those who enjoy sampanride from the Waterfront and acrossthe river. With this new market,shoppers will also experience comfortwhile browsing through the localproduce sections featuring freshfood and fruits, the wet market andits assortment of fresh sea productsas well as meats and the hawkerssection with all types of specialties totingle the taste buds.As expected of such a modernmarket, the disposal of refuse will beefficiently handled and recycling willbecome the norm. With the varioussections separated from each other,collection of waste generated fromthe traders will be easier and alsomore efficiently done too. Shopperswill also get to see more food vendorsat the new market as they will nowbe housed in a single location,which will be easier for guestsand customers to see the varietiesavailable.To further add to the enjoyment ofshopping here, the market will alsofeature cultural performances duringthe evenings by various groupsand artists. As there will always betourists and visitors from outside thestate coming to the market, theseshows will add to their enjoymentand awareness of the diversity ofthe state in terms of its ethnic anddiverse cultures. During the variouscelebrations like Gawai, Hari Raya andChinese New Year, there will be evenmore special variety shows for patronsand guests to join in the celebrations.For more information on the new market, 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 244551Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 5

INSIDEeotalk.comwww.borneotalk.com20 23 26Midin Paku Uban Paku IkanCover PictureEndorsed byHometownFavourites 4 Tourism 18 Research 32 Food 38 Map 40 Hotel53 Info 60 Shopping 65 Books 67 People 68 Movie& Etc 71 BT-CSR 72 Music 744 th Sarawak Hornbill TourismAward 2009/2010Outstanding Contribution to the Tourism Industry- Media: Publication (winner)Ministry Of Tourism Sarawak6 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Sarawak Tourism BoardNew Medan Niaga SatokScan me with yourmobile phone / tablet!BorneoTalk is published by Bumi Serasi. The contents of the magazine may not be reprinted orreproduced without prior written permission. The publisher is not liable for statements madeand opinions expressed in the publication.Editor-In-Chief Ivy Pan Executive Editor S C Goh Marketing Ivy Pan, Nancy ShukriAdministration Ribena Noh Contributors S C Goh, Mark Jacobson, A. Chua, AgricultureDepartment Sarawak, Department of Welfare Sarawak, KPJ Design & Art Direction StevenYap, Photography David Joseph, Mark Jacobson, Mohd Tremidzi, DBKU, Sarawak TourismBoard (STB), Brunei Tourism, Front Cover Image ‘Nature’s Delight’ - 3 truly Sarawak JungleProduce by BumiSerasi Printer Weng Chuan Creatives Prints, No. 28, Jalan 30B/146, DesaTasik, 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.comThe next issue of BorneoTalk will be out in October 2012.To Advertise In This Publication Call 6 082 427423

Hometown FavouritesSarawakhandicraftsThe Sarawak Craft Councilcoordinates between thevarious governmental agenciesin the development of crafts in thestate. It promotes all the crafts madeby Sarawakian and authenticates themfor sale as corporate gifts and souvenirsand also caters for overseas marketdemands. Below are descriptions ofsome of the available displays and for acomplete range, the best option is stillto visit the venue in Kuching city.Malay SongketFrom the Malay community, theSongket is the most recognizableproduct at the Council’s display area.Intricate and finely woven, the textileusually has floral designs and comeswith real golden threads, fit for anyprestigious ceremony! It makes asuperb gift item and stands out in anydisplay due to the unique materialsused and complex colour schemes.To ascertain that you are getting theauthentic Sarawak Songket, makesure it comes from the Council andcomes with an official receipt.Terendak Melanau– Sun hatThe Melanau community in Sarawakwas traditionally fishermen and residedcreative and eco-friendlyalong the coastal belts. The Terendakor sun-hat is one of their traditionalcrafts, made mostly by women folks(even today) with rattan and leaves,come in colourful patterns and designsof various sizes. Used mainly as aprotector from the scorching sun andrain, the Terendak have since foundmore uses like decorative pieces forhomes and offices, souvenirs forvisitors to Sarawak and those comingfrom Dalat even have been certified“Sarawak Best” for quality anddesign and certainly can be certifiedas sustainable and environmentallyfriendly too! Today these signature hatsaccount for many of the supplementaryincomes of rural women and continueto be one of the easily recognizableitems originating from the state.Orang UluBeadworkOrang Ulu refer to Up-river peoplein Sarawak, comprising severalgroups and mostly residing in ruralareas and highlands. Accomplishedcrafts artisans, they are also highlyregarded for their beadwork whichcan range from simple braceletsto bangles and necklaces to babycarriers. Often these bead crafts arecolourful and have motif and designsdepicting animals and plants. Amongthe Kelabit tribes, some of thesebead pieces can fetch thousandsof Ringgit due to their origins andsignificance since being passed downover generations. Today many ofthese bead handicrafts are easilyavailable from many souvenir shopsand better recognized for theirheritage and importance to thestate’s history.BidayuhBamboo CraftsBidayuh are one of the Dayaktribes of Sarawak who are mastercraftsmen in the use of bamboo formany things. The best example istheir Baruk, which is a traditionalroom for meeting, and discussionsmade of bamboo. Other impressiveitems originating from bamboo aremusical instruments, mats, basketsand hats apart from souvenir itemslike small coin boxes. Demand forbamboo crafts continue to rise dueto the versatility and sustainabilityof bamboo and can be easilypackaged as eco-friendly productstoo. Nowadays, many craftsmenare turning to bamboo as theirmain source materials to ride onthe popularity and trend in use ofsustainable materials.For further information, please contact SARAWAK CRAFT COUNCIL,Round Tower, Lot 32, Sect 25, KTLD, Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93100 Kuching,Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 245652 Fax: +6082 420253Email: malankilah@yahoo.comwww.sarawakhandicraft.com.myJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 7

Hometown FavouritesBark cloth purses with colourful bark clothappliqué and a few beads are very popularPreparing the basketry materials is time-consumingMaking bark cloth is man’swork – Esther’s husband,Christopher, is an expertLiving onTraditionalSkillsBy Heidi MunanOld material newstyle; a rattanbasket produceby a lady inKampungStass, BauA basket made of rolled-up newspaper strips, then sprayed with varnishSarawak handicrafts are justlyfamous. From ikat weaving tomat-making and basketry, fromwoodcarving to beadwork, these exquisiteproducts give our State a good name in theworld of arts, crafts and material culture.There was a time when ‘Sarawak Crafts’automatically meant ‘longhouse’.Collectors had a mental picture of happysimple Dayak living in a primitive reedthatcheddwelling … or something alongthose lines.If this ever was correct, a lot has changedin the last 30 or 40 years. For one thing,Sarawak’s population follows the worldtrend; we’re moving to town. Thanks toenlightened policies, young people have amuch better education than their parentsdid. Padi-farming no longer appeals tomany of them; they look for employmentin the towns.Many older people follow their sons anddaughters. It is this ‘rural-urban drift’that has, surprisingly, moved many skilledand gifted craft-workers from an idylliclonghouse by a babbling brook to a terracehouse by a busy road.Some of these urban artisans work quietlyon their own, others get together in smallgroups, partly for company. The commoncomplaint is, of course, that handicraftmaterials – rattan, reeds, woods andbamboos suitable for carving – are hard tofind in town.Sarawak’s craftspeople are nothing if notingenious! Cousins back in the longhousecan be persuaded to bring a bundle ofrattan on their next visit to town. Somematerials can be purchased from suppliersand craft agencies.8 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Some bark cloth vests, Bidayuhtraditional costume, made by Esther

In many urban centres there areinformal crafts classes, usuallyorganized by community associations,where those who grew up in towncan learn ‘longhouse skills’. The tutorsare older women, the students youngwomen and girls. The problem? Whereto find enough raw materials to teacha dozen or so people at once.But hey, this is the 21 st century!Baskets can be made of rolled-upnewspaper strips, baskets can beplaited of plastic packaging bands.The latter are bright and colourful,too, very pretty, it makes a bit ofchange from the browny-yellow ofyesteryear.‘Not traditional’ the purist mutterswhen faced with these plastic-stripand newspaper baskets.‘Eco-friendly!’ the producers replywith glee. ‘We are recycling stuffthat usually gets thrown away!’ Andso they are. Apply age-old skills to anew material and see what you get.As Kuching grows…and grows…and GROWS, the urban spread isabsorbing Iban and Bidayuh villageswhich used to lie among fruit grovesand rubber gardens near town.One of these ‘urban kampung’ isSemeba, within reach of Sarawak Riverwhich used to be the traffic route inthe old days. Most villagers work intown though they still tend padi fields;most of the womenfolk still have thehandicraft skills of their forbears. Mostmake the occasional basket for homeuse, but one enterprising lady saw thebigger picture.Esther Sired at Workwith her (old!) sewingmachingMuch handicraftproductiontoday is for thetourist marketThe craftworkers in Ulu Sarikei spread out their waresfor a group of visiting tourists – most of these basketsare recycled newspaperEsther Sired, who has been ‘incrafts’ since 1977, was aided by agovernment agency to start a ‘multipurposecentre’ in the village. Thisis where women, and sometimesmen, met and worked at varioushandicrafts. Some cottage-industrymachinery was tried out on anexperimental basis.‘You know, a machine for splittingbamboo canes into equal-sized strips,things like that. Not all of them aresuited to Sarawak conditions,’ Estherexplains.Iban ladies working at basketryin a longhouse, Ulu SarikeWith or without machinery, the Centreprovided a useful focus for handicraftproduction and marketing. This is theimportant thing, of course: that thecraftswomen learn how to produceitems that are acceptable to moderntrends and tastes, and that they earnmore than just a little pocket money bytheir work.Esther has been attending craft fairs,usually in conjunction with an agencylike Kraftangan Malaysia or theSarawak Craft Council. At present,Esther and her husband Christopherhave settled at the Sarawak CulturalVillage, where they may be seen atwork in the Rumah Bidayuh. Thatdoesn’t mean the Centre in KampungSemeba is abandoned.Any time she receives a larger order,Esther rallies her friends in thevillage. Craft-working is not full-timefor any of these workers, but it keepsan old skill alive and it brings in somevery welcome extra cash.In what way has Esther’s attitude tocraftwork changed over the forty yearsshe’s been busy with it? ‘Well, since Ifell in love with tree bark…’ This maysound weird – it isn’t! The natives ofHometown FavouritesBorneo have traditionally produceda kind of fabric by softening andbeating the inner bark of trees of thebreadfruit family. This soft, light browncloth can be utilized in a number ofcreative ways – some of our best artistsuse it as canvas! – and Esther likes toexperiment, design, try out what worksand what doesn’t.Bark cloth is strong along the fibre buttears easily sideways, so it has to bestrengthened either by ‘pattern daring’or by backing it with another fabric.Experimenting, trying out anddesigning are the fun parts of craftwork. The worker has to keep an eyeon what will sell, too. Esther findsthat traditional costumes are popular,though not in large numbers, whilesmaller purses, handbags and thelike find ready buyers among visitorsto the Sarawak Cultural Village.The basic, natural colour of barkcloth appeals to many, others prefersomething a bit more colourful.Esther dyes some lengths of thematerial, and makes cut-out andappliqué decorations; Malaysiantaste also runs towards a few glitterybeads or sequins on each product.Working with just a few friends andfamily members, Esther is runningwhat is essentially a very smallcottage industry. She uses a sturdyold sewing machine, but if she hadanother type, specially adapted forcraft work, she could diversify herdesigns and increase output.‘I just hope some craft agency canhelp me buy one,’ says Esther,wistfully.Esther’s ambition is that ‘the worldshould learn more about bark cloth!It’s such a beautiful material, and tous Bidayuh it has a special meaning –it should be much better promoted.’Where to seeCraftwork being done:Sarawak Cuture Village in all theSarakraft Pavilion inTabuan RoadInsertion by courtesy of SARAWAK WOMEN’S BUREAU, Jalan Bakti off Jalan Sultan Tengah, Semariang,93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6086 446980, 446178 Fax: +6086 447937Mdm. Ungkeh is one of the basketryteachers at Miri Rumah DayakJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 9

Hometown FavouritesCarved artpieces arepersonal andone of a kindSarawak is a well-knowntimber producing statein the form of furniture,particleboard and other woodenproducts for export and thegovernment continues to encouragemore people to indulge in thisindustry. Spearheading the effortin this field is the Sarawak TimberIndustry Development Corporation(STIDC) with various initiatives likefurniture making courses, timbergrading courses and now haswoodcarving courses for schoolleavers and those interested in the art.The training school for the course is atTanjung Manis New Township, whichcaters to local school leavers aswell as those from otherareas in the state.Participants enjoy the best of bothworlds here; firstly, they are paidfor their training, provided withfree accommodation and mealsand uniforms. Secondly, they havehighly qualified full time instructorsto provide them with the necessaryskills to be accomplished artists andcarvers and become professionals intheir own right one day. Furthermore,those who have completed thecourses and training may also take updiploma level courses at the NationalCraft Institute. It is no wonder thatthose who have an artistic flair havehappily signed up for the courses andare on their way to become specialistin the field of carving.Sarawak’s advantage in the carvingindustry stems from the diverserange of cultures and religions ofthe people; each ethnic group hasits own unique blend of artistic flairsand so contributes to a good mix ofproducts bearing different styles andconcepts. The traditional motifs ofthese ethnic groups are now beingfurther enhanced in thenumerous productsfrom skilledcraftsmen in view of the growingdemand stemming from increasein visitors to the state as well asappreciation of such products bylocals too. Such varieties provide thenecessary impetus to the artists tobecome even more creative and thediversity of products in turn providesattraction to shoppers and visitors.“Since participating in the annualNational Craft Day three years ago,I have not missed attending oneas the event provided me with theexposure to new markets and alsocreative ideas for future projects,”beamed Sudirman Gindau, a Lunduborn Sarawak native involved in thebusiness. With the support from boththe federal and state governments,wood-carving business is bound forthe big time with better qualifiedenthusiasts now being trained hereand peninsula Malaysia.For more information on the wood carving courses, those interested should contactSarawak 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.mywww.sarawaktimber.org.my10 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

Hometown FavouritesBatang AiEco-FishAble Asia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd guarantees qualityfish bred at Batang Ai dam in SarawakIf you think all tilapia fish tastealike, think again! Most ofthe local markets in Sarawaksell the cheapest variety, the onessourced from local entrepreneursand fishponds. Try out the ones withthe Able Asia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd/Batang Ai Eco-Fish brands and youwill immediately taste the difference!“We only have one place in producingthe fresh tilapia fish for local andoverseas markets and that is at BatangAi dam near Sri Aman,” said Mr Kong,the owner. “The fish are all kept insidecages with free and fresh flowingwater every single day which totallyeliminates any contamination fromfeed or animal waste. Furthermore, ourfishes are not able to nibble on bottommud as in ponds, which will give suchtypes of fish a muddy after-taste.Because we use cages floating on thelake, there is no still water and so ourfishes do not suffer from diseases likethose in confined ponds where thetendency to overstock is even greater.”Another advantage Able AsiaAquaculture Sdn Bhd/Batang AiEco-Fish has over others in thebusiness is that they have residentprofessionals who are specialistsin their field of expertise on fishbreeding and diseases. Understandingthe complexities of rearing fish withinconfined spaces even in lakes canbe a challenge to those without thenecessary skills and expertise so thisbusiness is certainly not for everyone!Through careful investments overthe years and breeding tilapia ofhigh quality, the company has nowachieved the goals of producing freshtilapia for the market and a chainof agents throughout the state tomarket their fish.“We sell many other types of freshwater fishes beside tilapia as we knowpeople want varieties in their fishmeals. So, we also have patin, lampanbaung, kaloi and tenggadak as partof the diverse range of fishes for themarket. Again all these are reared atthe fast flowing waters of Batang Aidam which is ideal for such fishes toobtain the quality and optimum sizeswe want too. Different markets havedifferent preferential like restaurantswanting slightly bigger fishes forfeasts while households usually prefermedium sizes to smaller ones,” he said.If you are unsure of the type of fishand how to cook them, just ask forideas from the sellers and they willbe more than willing to share withyou on the various types of recipesfor each variety of fish. Just makesure you buy the ones with the AbleAsia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd/Batang AiEco-Fish brand to get the best qualityfish in the market and enjoy thesewith your family and friends. Patin Fish Lampan Baung Fish Tenggadak Fishsh Red Tilapia FishFor more information, please contactAble Asia Aquaculture Sdn Bhd,Lot8129, Ground Floor, Lorong Datuk AbangAbdul Rahim 10,93450 Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia.T: +6082 349816 F: +6082 337728HP: +6013 8033069 (Mr. Kong) E: pctan61@hotmail.com(Opening hours:Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm)Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 11

Hometown FavouritesTerubok conservationin SarawakThe Way ForwardBy Philip Wong Pak HongBy Philip Wong Pak HongFor further information, kindly contact Agriculture Department SarawakInland Fisheries Production, Research & Training Centre, Semariang Batu, Petra Jaya,93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 440196 Fax: +6082 443289IntroductionFishing for Terubok in Lingga SpawningGround using drift netThere has been a decline in catch ofthe terubok fish over the years fromanecdotal evidence due to a numberof causes such as overfishing,deterioration of water quality inthe fishery habitats, disturbance tofishing grounds and demand for theroes .Such being the issue, the stategovernment directed the InlandFishery Division of the Department ofAgriculture to implement action planto address the issue in an effort toSmaller mouth parts of terubokLaut (T. macrura species)Terubok core areaBatang Lupar12 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012bring the fishery to sustainable yieldfor this iconic species .The Big Mouth TerubokIn Sarawak, there are three speciesfound in the market, namely,Tenualosa ilisha, (imported species)T. toli (The Big Mouth Terubok) andT.macrura (Terubok Laut). The BigMouth Terubok is the species that isthreatened and described herein.Main Features of The FishThe fish thrives in estuarine waters,spent the time feeding alongthe shoreline waters with a widemigratory range, from Sematan to asfar as to Lawas.They enter the estuaries of Lupar andLassa Rivers during the spawningseason, which is marked by twodistinct peak periods, namely duringApril to June and August to Octoberevery year, making them vulnerableto fishing during such times.Mouth parts of theBig Mouth Terubok (T. toli)non breeding distributionBatang LassaSARAWAKspawning areasDistribution of theBig Mouth TerubokBRUNEIIt is a protandrous hermaphrodite,that is, the fish change sex frommale to female when they reach 27cm in length or 600 gm in weightand the process is irreversible. Themales are known locally as empiritand the females are terubok.The main source of food is thenaturally-ocurring zooplanktons(preferred species are the calanoids)and they are filter feeders, with astreamed-lined body shape adaptedfor fast swimming.Checking the juvenile terubok fish in the hatcheryThe ConservationStrategyThe present strategy comprises ofthree main components, namelyresearch and development,management and fry production.This is known as the TRIP (TerubokRehabilitation Integrated Program)The Multi-speciesFishery and Pyramid ofNumbersThe fish shares the same estuarinehabitat with more than sixtyother species in a rich biodiversityenvironment. As such, any programthat is implemented to conserve theterubok will also bring about benefitsto all other species and contributestowards increase in fish biomass

production as a consequence ofaction taken.The fish is a primary producer and is atthe lowest trophic (food) level in thepyramid of numbers. Any action plantaken to sustain the catch at this levelwill stabilise the system in the longrun, supporting those fish populationshigher up in the food chain at thesecondary and tertiary levels.Systems) involving GTI (Ground TruthInformation) whereby the data is usedto locate the fish breeders, takinginto account factors such as turbidityprofile, surface water temperatureregimes, tidal range, flow rates,salinity, pH and correlating that to theoccurrence and distribution of the fish.This is consistent with tracking themigration of fish throughout the yearto establish its pattern of movement.Terubok Landingsin MukahHometown FavouritesNet-working WithInstitutionsArrangement is being made withinstitutions such as UniversityMalaysia Terengganu, UniversityMalaysia Sarawak, Glami-LemiFreshwater Research Station and theWorld Fish Centre for collaborationprojects to accelerate researchfindings.Big Mouth Terubok hatchling-Artificial PropagationResearch andDevelopmentThe main thrust of the researchnow is the cryo-preservation of themilt, with the aim of having it readyfor use in fertilization as and whenneeded upon thawing. Other aspectsof work covers terubok toxicology,parasitology and genetics.The management program coversocio-economic surveys to assess theeffectiveness of the conservation effortand level of participation on the part ofthe fishing community under the CEPA(Community Education and PublicAwareness). Emphasis is laid on thedecentralization of the program, withthe engagement of the communityfollowing the implementation ofthe closed season since the year2008, in the sequence from CEPAto CEP (Community EngagementProgram) and finally, CE (CommunityEmpowerment)Terubok ProductionThe objective is to produce terubokfry for stocking in ponds and for reseedingin the habitat to increase thefish population.Role of TransformationTransformation from an informationand knowledge base to a paradigmshift in attitude and outlook oftreating the fish as a gift commodityrather than an economic entity tobe exploited is desirable and thisrequires the fishing community andstake-holders to work at initiativesaimed at habitat protection andrestoration as a long term goal.It is imperative that the transfer oftechnology and capacity-buildingare to be implemented for success ofthe program.Other measures that are beneficialfor stock recovery will be taken intoaccount and these include moratoriumon fishing during the spawning season,catch-quota systems, licensing offishers, ban on sale of the terubok roes,and restriction on mesh size .ManagementReleasing the terubok fry into riverThe management covers monitoringon fish catch landings, surveillanceon terubok distribution through fieldsurveys and amendments to fisherieslegislation under the provisions ofthe Fisheries Ordinance of Sarawak(revised 2004) to complement effortin conservation.Under the fish catch-monitoringprogram, the work consists of collectionand analysis of terubok landings andto study the trend in catch over a givenperiod of time to assess the status of thecatch. The catch disposition pathwaystraces the movement of the commodityfrom landing to the market, includingpricing and the volume.Another aspect of work in this areais the GIS (Geographical InformationHarvest of Big Mouth Terubok reared in PondTechnology for terubok productionhas been established and furtherimprovement to the technique isin place. Con-commitant with this,the tagging of the juveniles willalso be carried out to assess theeffectiveness.Mass culture of the natural food(zooplanktons) for the fish is anothermove to substitute formulated dietscurrently given to feed the fish,which is cost-prohibitive.Hatchery production method is alsobeing improved on areas such aswater quality management, treatmentresponse to disease and pathogen.Exit StrategyThe exit strategy lies in thedomestication of the terubok,whereby it will be technically andeconomically feasible to rear the fishin enclosed systems and to makeit readily available in the marketto narrow the supply gap which isgetting wider due to the increasingdemand as a premium food fish.ConclusionWith the diverse program andoutreach initiatives, it is anticipatedthat the conservation objectives willbe fulfilled within a short time span.To quote from Sir Rusell, “at theend of the day, we conserve onlywhat we love and we love only whatwe understand and we understandwhen we are taught”.Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 13

Hometown FavouritesLimbang DivisionSuccess storyEco-tourismpotentialof Tagang SystemImagine the thrill of wild riverfishes feeding from yourhands; you can even swim withthem! At Kampung Long Lidung inLimbang Division in Sarawak, thevillage has been so successful withtheir Community based fisheriesmanagement or locally known asTagang System that these wild fisheshave become so tame to even feedfrom your hands. Since the projectstarted in 2006, the village of just7 families has now mushroomed to23 families in the community effort,located some 1400 feet above sealevel in the highlands of Lawas,Sarawak.14 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

Hometown FavouritesIt all started with the interest ofRaut Kading, a Lun Bawang tribeof Sarawak’s Orang Ulu communitywho brought the idea to thepeople in the village and developedthe protection, conservation andmanagement system of Tagangto the river‘s native species. Initialsurvey recorded three main speciesof Semah, Kepiat and Bantak andcurrently Sayan fish has also beenrecorded in the various pools whererestricted and no fishing can becarried out by anyone. With theassistance from the Departmentof Agriculture (Inland FisheriesDivision) Sarawak, the kampungslowly upgraded their knowledgeof the system and their kampungwas awarded the Most OutstandingTagang Village in 2011 by the stategovernment.Due to the success of the systemhere, it is even possible to promoteeco-tourism and homestay fortourists who are interested inremote villages and country lifestyle,including friendly wild river fishes.The tame nature of the fishes hereand also the choices of planting,harvesting padi, collecting wildvegetables and trekking could bepositive pointers for such tourismprograms for the village. They canalso do sport-fishing (catch andrelease) as part of the program.In addition to the contribution ofthe Agriculture department, theSarawak Forestry Department hasalso contributed by constructing abriefing/resting shed and a bath/changing room with two units oftoilet to the village to further theirappeal to visitors.To date, there are 52 active Tagangprojects in Sarawak, all establishedwith cooperation from villagers andagencies like NREB, Forestry andDivisional offices to ensure theirsuccess. Some of these establishedprojects can already be turned intofuture homestay programs inclusiveof paddy planting and harvesting(during the season), cultural dance,like bamboo dance with visits toother nearby villages. At Merarap,some 50 minutes drive from LongLidung there is a hotspring whilecloser at Punang Berayong is asettlement where rotan handicraftsare still being made. All these couldbe packaged into the homestayprogram and make it moreattractive to tourists while able togenerate income to the locals.For further information, kindly contact Agriculture Department SarawakInland Fisheries Division, Limbang Division, Limbang Plaza, 98700 Limbang, Sarawak,Malaysia. Tel: +6085 217916Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 15

Hometown FavouritesKuching North City Council (DBKU), Bukit Siol, Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya,For further information, please contact93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 446688 Fax: +6082 446414 Website: www.dbku.gov.mywww.dbku.gov.myJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 17

TourismFor further enquiries, please contact:MINISTRY OF TOURISM SARAWAK2 nd Floor, Bangunan Baitul Makmur(MASJA), Medan Raya, Petra Jaya, 93050Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.T: +6082 319309 / 313Fax: +6082 441277 / 5311W: www.minth.sarawak.gov.mySARAWAK TOURISM BOARDT: +6082 423600W: www.sarawaktourism.comTourism EventsJulytoSeptember2012(Note: Event dates are subject tochange without prior notice)DESTINATIONEVENTSRAINFORESTRAINFORESTWATERFRONTFEST 20126 – 7 JULY | at Godown AmphitheatreKuching WaterfrontThis is a talent search held in conjunction with the RainforestWorld Music Festival to discover talented musicians.Competitors are required to use the ethnic instruments and thewinner will be invited to perform at the Rainforest World MusicFestival 2012 (13-15 July 2012).5PAKANFESTIVAL2 – 5 AUGUST | at PakanPesta Rakyat or Folk Festival featuring songand dance items. Pakan Fest has variety ofrecreational and sport activities such as BlowpipeShooting, Tug of War, Sepak Takraw. There arelocal traditional dances such as Ngajat and Pocopoco.For all the young ladies out there, therewill be Kumang Pesta Pakan and Ratu Kebaya.Throughout the event, Carnival and Pesta PakanMarathon will also be included.SARIKEIPINEAPPLE FEST25 – 28 AUGUST | at SarikeiTo all the Pineapple lovers out there, pleasevisit the Pineapple Fest in Sarikei. Come andjoin this fun and exciting events. This is anevent exhibiting the specialty of pineapple.There will be a Fruit Eating Competition,Beauty Contest, Pineapple or Food DecoratingContest, Cultural Show, Battle of the Bands,Karaoke, Sarikei Kitchen and Fun Fair.SUNGAI BEDILFOOD FEST14 – 16 SEPTEMBER |at Kampung Sungai BedilEnjoy this 3 days showcase of Food & Beverageestablishments in and around Kampung Sungai Bedildedicated to tempt the taste buds of gourmands andfoodies at heart. This event is also to promote localfood delicacy prepared by the village folks such asKuih Lupis Tani, Cendol and more!18 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012761WORLD MUSICFESTIVAL13 – 15 JULY |at Sarawak Cultural VillageThere is nothing quite like the Rainforest WorldMusic Festival. Voted as the Top 25 InternationalMusic Festival, won various international awardssuch as PATA Gold Award and ASEANTA ExcellentAward in the past years, it has been a uniquefestival that brings together on the same stagerenowned world musicians from all continentsand indigenous musicians from the interiors ofBorneo. Its formula of afternoon informativeworkshops, ethno-musical lectures, jammingsessions and mini concerts, followed by eveningperformances on the main stage has provento be a hit with the audience.KUCHINGFESTIVAL 2012431 JULY | at Kuching CityThe Council of the City of Kuching South incelebrating the 24 th Anniversary of Kuching asa City, will be organizing the following activitiesduring the month of August. The ever-popularFood Fair will continue to whet the appetitesof both locals and visitors. The Kuching Festivalalso includes the Concert of Traditional OrientalMusic by local Chinese Music Orchestra and FolkDance Display. There will also be sport eventsprepared for public to test their muscle andsinew. Apart from that, the Martial Arts Displayshowcases the various arts and skills of Wushu,Taichi, Silat, Taekwando, Silamban and Akido.TEBEDUFESTIVAL8215 – 16 SEPTEMBER |at Bandar Mutiara,TebeduThe highlights includes CulturalPerformance nightly by Malaysiaand Indonesia (Tebedu andEntikong Border) participants andtrade exhibitions.93RAMADHANBAZAAR20 JULY – 17 AUGUST |at Satok, Sukma Ria,SemarakMuslims throughout the State mark theHoly Month of Ramadhan by fastingbetween sunrise and sunset. At the endof the fast, families gather for the eveningmeal and prayer. Throughout the monthdelicious ethnic foods are on sale. One ofthe biggest markets is at Satok in Kuchingwhere Muslims and non-Muslims mingleto buy the mouth-watering fare.SARAWAKBIRD RACE29 – 30 SEPTEMBER |at Borneo Highland ResortTo promote bird watching tourism in Sarawakand also the importance of bird preservationfor ecology and environment. The Mini BirdRace is a “Fun Race” where teams of twocompete against each other in searching,identifying, and recording as many speciesof birds around the areas of Penrissen Rangewithin a stipulated time. According to recentobservations, there is a list of 143 birds, whichhad been sighted in the area.

TourismLatin America, Europe and North America,as part of a World Tour advocating for asustainable global Fashion community;and AFW2012Series would facilitate sucha stage the nomination of leading ASEANFashion Designers to represent theirCountries at the Inaugural World FashionWeek 2013 Ceremony.The AFW2012Series would showcaseASEAN Fashion Designers presentingtheir Spring/Summer collectionsthroughout the week, and invitationsare simultaneously extended to ASEANFashion Design Schools & Institutionspromoting new and upcoming Fashiontalents, with the intent to showcasea one-of-its-kind couture at Asia’sinaugural AFW2012Series!The AFW2012Series is a 7 days 6 nightsaffair comprising 10 by-invitation-onlyFashion-Themes of Main Stage Runwayand Exhibition Shows, exclusive 5 Afterpartiesand 3 full-day Fashion-Workshops.in Kuching (from L-R) Paco, Luis,Arwin & JacoboSarawak Cultural Villageprivate Fashion entity serving WorldFashion Association (WFA), WorldFashion Network (f. Network) and WorldFashion Week around the world underthe motto “World Fashion All (WFA)”,and WFO’s goal is to establish, no laterthan year 2013, WFO National Chapterin every country on Earth for the firsttime in history, and AFW2012Seriesis designed as a WFO Asia RegionalChapter as the AFW2012Series would beheld annually to be rotated within eachASEAN member states on a yearly basis.As a prelude to 1 st annual and inauguralWorld Fashion Week 2013 Ceremony to beheld in the City of New York in 2013, WFEwill feature and conduct a WFW Pre-EventsSeries being exhibited in different FashionWeeks around the world spreading itssocial voice in Asia, Middle East, Oceania,Apart from the 10 ASEAN member states,Japan is participating at the inauguralAFW2012Series, expressing interestfor Main Stage Runway Shows andconducting Exhibitions into the use oftechnology within fabrics, revolutionizingthe textile industry on a whole.AFW2012Series would also featureprominent speakers comprising Dr.Endah Trista Agustiana PhD, a Gender& Development Expert/Specialist atthe UNDP & UN Women, who wouldconduct a Fashion for Beauty, Equality &Empowerment Workshop, Ms JenniferMargolin, the Creator and Founder ofStyle In A Box® presenting the Future ofFashion Workshop, and Dr. Adam Miller,iAM Director, Doctorate in Dentistry &Medicine, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon,International Speaker on DentalImplant Surgery & Aesthetic Healthpresenting the much anticipated, BeautyConfidential Workshop.The Closing Ceremony, AFW2012SeriesAwards & Gala Nite would showcaseJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 21

TourismKuching Citybeach diningand leisurevenueGet away from the city andfind yourself at Kuching’sfavourite seaside spot –Damai Central! Just a 35 minutedrive will get you here and take in themajestic view of the beach and theiconic landmark, the giant Hornbillsculpture at the Damai Promenade.Cameras and action pictures are thevery first things for most first timershere and you can immediately sendthese to your friends and familiesback home from the café here!The best part about Damai Central isthat it caters to all types of activitieswithin its 3.5 hectare site with anopen stage, open air arena andamenities like conference room forseminars and other themed events,multi-purpose hall for a concert,carnival, exhibition, all could bestaged here. Other facilities includesurau, showers, towels and lockersfor convenience of guests andperformers. Since its completion in2011, city folks have been coming indoves for the weekend activities andnaturally, were the other favouriteplace during the annual RainforestWorld Music Festival happening atSarawak Cultural Village.The Damai Promenade is the idealplace to catch the fading rays of thesetting sun with the waves rollingalong at the background. Why nottry out one of the colourful kites ona spin along the beach and see howthey fly and maneuver in the eveningbreeze. It’s an activity where everyonecan participate and learn the skills offlying these beautiful kites.Moving on to the Escobar and theatmosphere is even better as thisbar & grill outlet with beautifulsettees, beers to wines to chooseis in a romantic enclave. The openconcept is ideally suited for thespot, high above the beach with thebreeze constantly blowing from thesea and your favourite drink in yourhand! Another dining option is theBayridge Fine Seafood Restaurantlocated within the Damai Centralcomplex for wide selection of freshcatches of the day. There are manyother choices, which you can decideon for a great evening meal.The food court is another venuefor a variety of local food at a veryaffordable price and ideally suitedfor those on a budget; the spread ofsweet pastries at the Courtyard Caféwill certainly satisfy your taste buds.Of course you could also choose todo your regular walks, explore yourkite flying talent or simply immersedyourself in the natural ambience atDamai Central. It can be for groupactivity, friends and families or evenfor a solo getaway as the facilities andamenities can cater to all the variantsyou can possibly think of! Check outDamai Central when in Kuching; it’sas simple as hoping onto the dailyshuttle, taxi or drive yourself and thefamily. See you at Damai Central!DAMAI BAY MANAGEMENT SDN BHD (931591-U)Damai Central, Pantai Damai Santubong, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 846158, 846113 Fax: +6082 846113 Email: damaibaymsb@gmail.comWebsite: www.damaicentral.com.my Facebook: DamaiCentral.KuchingJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 23

TourismThe car audio show you just can’t missGet ready for Borneo AutoFest (BAF), the biggestcar expo in Sarawakwhich will be held at Batu KawaNew Township in Kuching on 15 thto 17 th September. Come see thelatest in car audio accessories andsystems and check out the SuperBikes, Bicycles and Car Club ondisplay at the expo. This is the bestopportunity to meet up with thoseof the same passion for all thingsaudio in cars and stereos while autodealers will be there with theirlatest models on display for you toget up close to these beauties!BAF will have hundreds ofbooths for visitorsand enthusiasts tobrowse throughand find the latestand best audiosfor their cars;just remember tobring ear plugs as some ofthese systems can be more15 th - 17 th September 2012MJC, Kuching, Sarawakpowerful than the set in yourhome! With the huge number ofvendors at BAF you are sure tofind the audio gadgets of yourchoice and you can take time tocompare and listen to the variousbrands available while gettingexperts views on installationin your car. Naturally, the foodpeople will be here to tempt youwith delicious offerings but thehighlights over the three-dayevent will be the competitionson audio systems and carmodifications. In fact, professionaljudges will be coming frompeninsula Malaysia to give theirverdicts so this is the opportunetime to learn about the merits ofaudio systems from the experts!For more information on BAF,please contact Edwin at+6016 892 7770 orBenson at +6016 893 3383 orlog in facebook atBorneo Auto Fest (BAF) 201224 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Organisers:Co-Organiser:PADAWAN MUNICIPAL COUNCILKota Padawan, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. T: +6082 615566 F: +6082 611832E: mpp@tm.net.my W: www.mpp.gov.my

TourismOrganisers of BAF, Autek andFest Event in cooperation withPadawan Municipal Council areoptimistic that 5000 visitors perday will be coming to the eventas there are already more than500 competitors lined up for thevarious competitions. To spice upthe event even more, a number ofartistes will be coming to entertainthe crowd with live presentations!This is definitely an audio event notto be missed by all car enthusiasts;whatever you have been searchingfor to liven up the system in yourcar will beavailable atBAF.Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 25

TourismTheIslamicAbodeof PeaceBrunei continuesto be Asia’s shiningexample of modernprogressive IslamicnationSoas Mosque at DuskMention Brunei and almost everyone willlikely think of His Majesty, Sultan HajiHassanal Bolkiah, the Ruler of Brunei ashe is easily one of the most well known people inthe world! Apart from being the Sultan, he also hasthe distinction of being a descendent of Asia’s oldestunbroken reigning dynasty in the world, tracingthe monarchy line back as far as 1405 when SultanSultan Haji Hassanal BolkiahFor further information, please contact BRUNEI TOURISM, Ministry of Industry andPrimary Resources, Jalan Menteri Besar, Bandar Seri Begawan BB3910, Brunei Darussalam.Tel: (673) 238 2822, 238 2832 Fax: (673) 238 2824 Email: info@bruneitourism.travelwww.bruneitourism.travel26 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

Muhammad founded the dynasty.Another accolade of Sultan HajiHassanal Bolkiah is that he led Bruneito become an independent nation in1984 and in the process made thenation state into one of the mostdeveloped and modern in Asia!Forward looking and ever abidingby the Islamic faith, His Majestyhas guided Brunei to be a centre ofmodern Islamic teachings, whichembodies the fast paced worldof technology, capital and humandevelopment.Tourismsite for visitors and it’s free! Similarly,don’t forget to visit Brunei Museumwhere artefacts of Malay Cultures andIslamic influences can be seen. Someof these priceless items date back tothe 8 th and 9 th centuries like the Islamicmanuscripts and works of art. Thereare daggers, locally called Keris withtheir signature snake-like blades, gildedHoly Korans and Chinese ceramicwares salvaged from the sea bed.Another interesting site for visitorsis the Brunei History Centre,housing the early history of theSultanate to its independence. It alsogives insights into the genealogyof the Royal Family where visitorscan learn about the long traditionsand significance of the monarchy.Other than showing off its artefacts,the centre is also responsible forthe collection, conservation, andknowledge building for futuregenerations to learn about theSultanate. There are also publicationsmade by the centre to further spreadthe knowledge of the items withinits collections which at times are alsodisplayed outside the country.In looking back at the history ofBrunei, one of the most definingmoments was the embracing ofIslam by Sultan Muhammad in 1405when he founded the Sultanate. Thereligion has brought about a kingdomprofessing belief in Islam, whichunited the different groups of peopleinto a single people. Today, two thirdof Brunei’s population profess theIslamic faith and the nation continuesto be ruled according to the nationalphilosophy of the Malay IslamicMonarchy, which embraced Malaytraditions with Islam and high respectto the Sultan.While the Sultanate progresseswith the true teachings of Islamicfaith, it also is open to other faithsand beliefs, resulting in a peacefuland rapid pace of development inall aspects of the economy, socialand human capital developmentas well as respect for nature andconservation. There is no doubtthat the nation’s oil reserve pavedthe way for the development ofmodern Brunei, which was prudentlyexploited for the benefit of thepeople as guided by their deeprooted faith.History and cultureBrunei’s museums bring backthe glories of the pastListed as the largest residential palacein the world is Brunei’s majesticroyal heritage, Istana Nurul Iman,the home of His Majesty SultanHaji Hassanal Bolkiah. Beautifullylandscaped, the 1,788 rooms palacewith a grand ballroom able toaccommodate 5,000 dinners at anyone time and a mosque built for5,000 worshippers, also serves asthe seat of nation’s government andvisiting dignitaries are always treatedas honoured guests of the Sultan.The palace is also an emblem of themonarchy and its Islamic themes andfacades are distinctly clear to all passerbyas the whole palace sits on top of agentle hill overlooking the city.Visitors to the Sultanate should notmiss the Royal Regalia Museumwhere the Sultan’s full royal regaliaof crowns, chariots, exotic gifts andmementos are on display completewith audio and video images withEnglish descriptions on these items.With priceless diamonds to airplaneon display here, it is a not-to-missIn remembrance of the contributionsof his Majesty the late SultanBolkiah, a Asta Niza was built whichis also open to the public. Here, theformer sultan lies and the site isanother reminder of the deep respectBruneians pay to the monarchy andone of Brunei’s greatest Sultans toascend the throne. As expected, thebuilding and its surroundings arefull of greenery, quiet, allowing forreflections and relaxation to rechargeone’s battery. With places such asthese it is no wonder that peoplehere are always reminded of theirfaith and belongings, gratitude andrespect for their Sultan and his ableadministrators.Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 27

TourismHome Nursing AvanzaVisit to Consulate of Malaysia at Kalimantan Barat,Pontianak, IndonesiaMedical tourism in Malaysiahas become populardue to competitive priceand modern medical facilities byMalaysian Healthcare Providers.The country has seen a positiveincrease of visitors seeking medicaltreatments. The Sarawak StateGovernment has played a proactiverole to enhance Sarawak as apreferred tourist destination.MEDICALTOURISMAs one of the potential leadingMedical Tourism facilities in thecountry, KcSH has been activelypromoting medical tourismbeyond borders especially at ourneighbouring Kalimantan Barat.Thankful for both government’ssupport and good collaborationwith other tourism industry players,as up to date, Kuching SpecialistHospital has set-up info centres inmajor cities at Kalimantan Baratnamely Pontianak, Singkawang, KotaPemangkat, Nanga Pinoh, Ketapang,Sintang, Siantan and Bengkayang.Due to increase number of patientsfrom Jakarta, Indonesia, a referralcentre was set-up in collaborationwith KPJ Rumah Sakit Medika BumiSerpong Damai.– Beyond BordersIn addition to this, KuchingSpecialist Hospital is one of thehospitals identified by MalaysiaHealthcare Travel Council andawarded MS ISO 9001:2008certification. Equipped with a team28 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

Tourismof medical consultants, nursesand allied staff, the hospital seeksto be accredited nationally andinternationally via the MSQH, asymbol of quality that will attractmore visitors in seeking healthcareon Malaysian shores.Recognised as registered medical provider formedical tourismHealth Seminar at Jakarta, IndonesiaThe hospital started its latestspecialist health services and facilitiesin open heart surgery at the end ofMay this year. The pioneer patientis also a medical tourism patientwho hails from city of Singkawang,Kalimantan Barat. He undergonefour hours of surgery performedby KcSH’s own cardiac team in thestate-of-the-art cardiac operationtheater.Courtesy visit to Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg, Minister of Tourism, SarawakKcSH provides comprehensivemanagement of various paediatric,bone, joints and spine problems.With sophisticated facilities featuringminimal invasive surgery, fast recoveryand minimal complication, we havespecialists whom provide safe andcomplete services for all range oforthopaedic illness and emergencies.The hospital offers a complete rangeof services for prevention, detectionand treatment for diseases. Theseservices are backed by highly trainedteams of medical consultants, nursesand allied staff. With the latesttechniques and technology, patientsare assured of speedy recovery.KcSH endeavours to provide the bestin healthcare service while remainingdedicated. Care For Life!International ScientificCongress at BorneoConvention Centre, KuchingCourtesy visit to Drs Cornelis M.H, Governor ofKalimantan Barat, Pontianak, IndonesiaKUCHING 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.mywww.kcsh.kpjhealth.com.myJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 29

TourismExquisitesouvenirsand gifts atBATIK BOUTIQUE, SOUVENIR & CRAFTFindingthat perfectsouvenir fora corporateclient is oftena dauntingtask. But notanymore,now thatthere’sPrestigePrestige is a new outlet that isa branch of PPKS ProductionsSdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of PusatPembangunan Kemahiran Sarawak (PPKS),or otherwise known as the Sarawak SkillsDevelopment Centre.Operating at Block A of the historic old CourtHouse building (which has been convertedinto Sarawak Tourism Complex) near thebustling Kuching Waterfront, Prestige offers awealth of exquisite local arts and crafts suchas rattan baskets, sterling silver jewellery, batikpaintings, a wide array of clothing for bothmen and women, and many more. Thesemake for perfect corporate souvenirs or gifts,especially for foreign tourists as these itemsbest represent what Malaysia is.Small and inexpensive souvenirs andmemorabilia are also available, offeringtourists both convenience and affordability.Items range from bookmarks, key chains, aminiature version of the keris and many more.These exclusive items are mostly broughtin from Peninsular Malaysia, but plans tointroduce Sarawak-made arts and craftsare underway, and soon there will be moreunique gift options for customers.The idea to set up Prestige was mooted bythe Chairman of PPKS, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr.Haji Abdul Aziz, with the aim of marketingand promoting batik products, locally-madehandicrafts as well as corporate souveniritems. It opens daily from 9am to 9pm.PPKS was established in June 1994 underthe Societies Act 1966 with the objective ofproducing well-trained, skillful and competentworkforce by offering training programmeswhich are practical and skill-based, andtechnical competence in all professional areas.30 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012For further information, kindly contact SARAWAK TOURISM COMPLEX,Block A, Tun Abang Haji Openg Road, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 238508Email: arazak@ppks.edu.my (Encik Abdul Razak Bin Hj. Mohamad Ali – H/P: +6012 807 9091) |production@ppks.edu.my (PPKS Production Sdn. Bhd. – Tel: +6082 364198, 364148 Fax: +6082 368195)

BreakingNEWS!Announcing Prime TimeDevelopmentWatch Out for BOOKINGProject 1Out for BOOKINGannouncement soon!Project 1 Project 2TrinityHubCommercial ProjectComing Soon at Old Bus StationLocation: 3½ Mile,Jalan Penrissen, KuchingProject 2D’ PublicSquareCommercial and ResidentialProject Coming SoonLocation: Batu Kawa, KuchingISO 9001:2008CERT NO. QMS-004/08-TSWPKK Class A CIDB G7 UPK Class ATENAGA SERI WANGSA SDN BHD Marketing Office Ground Floor, P1-G-2(B), Lot 351, Section 55, Jalan Tabuan, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 259577Mobile/HP: (Isabelle) +6012 888 7897, (Anna) +6012 883 3026Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 31

ResearchFRIMA gift to the worldForest ResearchInstitute Malaysiacontributes tobetter scientificunderstandingof forest and itsresources32 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Walk on air at the CanopyWalkway of ForestResearch InstituteMalaysia (FRIM) at Kepong, Selangorand experience for yourself thethrill of being suspended 30mabove ground, amidst the branchesof majestic trees in this tropicalrainforest. The 150m walkway isnestled among some of the mostinteresting tree species and everyvisitor will be welcomed by thesounds of the forest; chirping ofbirds, calls of monkeys and otheranimals that make this 512ha offorest their home. Just adjacentto FRIM is the Bukit Lagong ForestReserve, providing extra sanctuaryfor these animals.“We are all very proud and glad thatFRIM has been gazetted as a NaturalHeritage Site since 2009 and just inearly May this year, FRIM was declared

as National Heritage,” enthused asmiling Hajah Nancy Shukri, Chairmanof the Malaysia Forestry Research andDevelopment Board (MFRDB) thatoversees FRIM. “This achievementis significant because it means thatfuture generations will be able tocontinue to enjoy FRIM and its naturalresources just as we are able to now.A special word of ‘Thanks!’ naturallyhas to be said to FRIM’s DirectorGeneral, Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmodfor leading the team of dedicatedpeople in making all these possible,”said Nancy, also a parliamentarianfrom Sarawak.“I am honoured and proud of havingachieved the National Heritage awardfor FRIM, having set the target since2008 to reach this goal,” admittedFRIM’s Director General, Dato’ DrAbd Latif Mohmod during the awardceremony in Kuala Lumpur recently.“More than just the award, I thinkthat the recognition of FRIM’snearly 100 years of tropical forestryresearch and development activitiesand successful reforestation andbiodiversity enrichment of a onceabandoned mining area startedin 1929 is significant and speaksvolumes for the effort. Now, FRIM hasbecome not just a national treasurebut also an international landmark forthe foreseeable future and we are allthankful that we have been part ofthe whole process inthe achievement ,” he said.Currently, FRIM’s research activitiesare in six main areas, namely Forestry& Environment, Forest Biodiversity,Forest Products, Biotechnology,Natural Products and ResearchPlanning & Corporate. All these sixdivisions contribute to the bulk ofFRIM’s published materials for journalsand other peer-reviewed publications,newsletters and books.Earlier this year in April, FRIM wasawarded the Islamic Development BankScience and Technology Prize 2012in Khartoum, Republic of Sudan forhaving achieved outstanding scientificor technological contribution to thesocio-economic development of amember country. The Director Generalsaid this award was only made possibleby the numerous awards whichFRIM had garnered over the years inrecognition of the contributions of itsstaff and fellow researchers, both localand foreign.“These numerous awards point to thecontinuous dedication to be amongstthe best in our fields and to further theknowledge of forestry in this part ofthe world at a very challenging timeResearchas more and more forests worldwideare disappearing due to developmentand other activities. Hopefully, what wehave achieved and in future researchcan further add to the effort to bettermanage forests worldwide and provideproactive solutions to cater to demandfor space and development. Forestsare the lungs of the world and theprovider of air for all living things soevery effort must be made to continueits conservation and sustainable use,”Abd Latif opined.Apart from being a leading forestryresearch institute in tropical forestry,FRIM is also one of the nation’s topeco-tourism destinations with itsarray of nature trails, mountain biketrails, waterfalls, nature educationcentre, museum and research gallery,camping and picnic sites, botanicgardens and arboreta.List of awards and recognition for FRIMResearch on rubber wood utilisation at the International Cologne Furniture Fair(1995) oil palm fibre extractor at the 25 th Geneva International InventionExhibition (1997) the International Union of Forestry Research Organisations(IUFRO) Scientific Achievement Award (1995 & 2000) Toray InternationalScience Award (1999) Petronas Inventor’s Awards (1992, 1994) NationalInventor’s Award (1995 & 1997) MINDEX/INNOTEX Award (1993, 1995) Langkawi Award (1991) Public Services Department Award (1996) and NationalScience Award (1993) Nikkei Asia Award for contribution to environmentalprotection in the region (2009), Mahathir Science Award for contribution tothe research and development of the country’s rubberwood industry (2009),National Book Award (2010 & 2012) for the best technical book category theBrandLaureate Awards 2010-2011 & 2012 for the BestBrand in Forestry–Environment Conservation theCelebrity Brand Award 2011 and the InternationalSocrates Award for Best Enterprise (Applied Research& Scientific Achievements) Award 2011.According to him, FRIM attractsthousands of visitors per year and thisshows that people want to be close tonature and experience its beauty andwonder in an ever-increasing concretejungle in towns and cities. TheCanopy Walkway at FRIM providesthe best possible way to actuallyget a feel of being close to the treetop. Such experiences are importantespecially for young children as it willkindle in them the thrill of enjoyingthe forest at its splendor and instillin them the importance of forestconservation for the future.For more information, kindly contactForest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)52109 Kepong, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.T: +603 6279 7000 F: +603 6273 1314 E: feedback@frim.gov.my www.frim.gov.myJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 33

ResearchTreesof goldPlantingGaharu treescan be arewardinginvestment inSarawak34 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Sarawak’s Bumiputra farmers now have manyopportunities to make full use of their landfor agriculture purposes; from growing oilpalms to rubber, livestock rearing to fish farming andeven vegetables and other cash crops. Recently thesefarmers have been introduced to another farmingalternative; planting Gaharu trees (Agarwood).Fully supported by Chief Minister’s Office under theBumiputra Entrepreneur Development Unit (UPUB),a number of courses were held in Kuching, SriAman and Sibu for all those who were interested inknowing more about the venture and investmentopportunities of Gaharu tree planting.These courses were facilitated by FRIM’s officers namelyDr. Ahmad Zuhaidi Yahya, Deputy Research Officer andDr. Lok Eng Hai, Research Officer from Civil Culture Unit,

Researchyears. Such sharing of information andknowledge will surely benefit all thosewho are new to the Gaharu plantingventure which is another investmentopportunity for those who have limitedland sizes and time in managing theirfarms.”The Assistant Minister also warnednew investors about planting thewrong species of Gaharu, which arenot as valuable and sought after inthe market, which will waste theirtime and money.“As FRIM and the Forest Departmenthere have recommended, the rightspecies to plant is the local specie,Aquilaria malaccensis. In fact, manynew farmers in the past planted thewrong types and even in Kuchinghere, I was made known that someinvestors have been informed byFRIM researchers that their plantedtrees suffered from various diseaseswhich they were unaware off. So, Iurge all those interested to buy onlycertified seedlings and plants fromFRIM and authorised sellers to avoidForest Plantation Program. Both officershave vast knowledge of Gaharutrees and had published numerousarticles on the subject matter.Such distinguished backgroundsof the course speakers provide theparticipants assurance on the plantingof Gaharu trees as both rewardingand also as investments of their landas experienced by farmers in peninsulaMalaysia for many years already.Apart from UPUB, the project wasalso supported by FRIM (ForestResearch Institute Malaysia) and theSarawak Forest Department, the twomost renowned authorities on treesin the nation and state. FRIM hasbeen conducting research on Gaharutrees for many years and had proventhat the venture is both rewardingand also require minimum input interms of finance and maintenance ofthe trees in many different states inpeninsula Malaysia. The Sarawak ForestDepartment is the only authority in thestate to issue license and permit forGaharu planting and harvesting in thestate as the tree is listed as a protectedspecies in the country.“These courses are important andcrucial for those planning to ventureand invest in planting Gaharu inSarawak as they will be able to pickup information and necessary skillsneeded,” said Datuk Haji NarodenMajais, Assistant Minister in ChiefMinister’s Department and alsoAssistant Minister for ResourcePlanning Sarawak when he officiatedat the closing ceremony of the coursein Kuching. “Apart from gainingknowledge of cultivating and nurturingthe trees, they will also learn about themarket potential for the mature trees,inoculation and certified inoculationdrugs. In addition they will also beinformed of the various laws pertainingto the protected Gaharu trees andlearning from those who have plantedand harvested these trees over thedisappointment after planting thetrees and finding out that they havebeen cheated,” Datuk Mohd. Narodenadvised. “Some farmers don’t evenknow how or where to sell theirmature trees while others were takenadvantaged of during the sale as theywere lacking the necessary knowledgeand skills. Therefore, it is not justplanting the right type of tree but youmust also know how to take care ofthem during the growing stages andlater how to market them. Make nomistake, Gaharu trees are consideredtrees of “gold” as they have beencompared to the birds’ nest farmingindustry in terms of high returns andregular harvesting.”UPUB is looking forward to help andwork together with entrepreneurswho are interested in Gharu and otherbusinesses by way of conductingcourses or promoting their products.To find out more on the other courses kindly contact BUMIPUTERA ENTREPRENEUR DEVELOPMENT UNIT (UPUB)12 th Floor, Wisma Bapa Malaysia, 93502 Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 492453 Fax: +6082 449079Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 35

ResearchFaculty of Social Sciencesin UNIMAS offersMaster of EnvironmentalManagement(Development Planning) under SLUSE-M(Sustainable Land Use and Natural ResourceManagement in Malaysia) programmeBy Dr Wong Swee Kiong, Programme Coordinator for Master of Environmental Management (Development Planning)Students are taught the correct way to take soil sample in the fieldLocated in Kota Samarahan,Sarawak, the Faculty of SocialSciences (FSS) in Universiti MalaysiaSarawak (UNIMAS) is one of the first twofaculties established in UNIMAS in 1993.Besides offering undergraduate academicprogrammes in International Studies,Industrial Relations and Labour Studies, SocialWork Studies, Communication Studies,Development Planning and ManagementStudies, Politics and Government Studies,Anthropology and Sociology Studies, FSSis currently also offering postgraduateprogrammes for master and PhD degreesin social sciences. Potential students whoare interested to carry out research topicsin communication studies, gender studies,indigenous communities studies, politicalstudies, urbanization and communitydevelopment studies can enrol into the PhDor master by research degrees in the faculty.In addition to all these degrees, FSS also offersa master by coursework, namely Master ofEnvironmental Management (DevelopmentPlanning) under the SLUSE-M programme.SLUSE-M (Sustainable Land Use andNatural Resource Management inMalaysia) Master Programme is a uniqueinterdisciplinary master programme offeredin UNIMAS by the Faculty of Social Sciencesand Faculty of Resource Science andTechnology. Students who have enrolledinto the programme in FSS will be awardedMaster of Environmental Management(Development Planning) upon successfulBoth Malaysian and Denmark studentsare having group discussion during theJoint Field Course period36 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Students experience harvesting paddy together with the villagers

Researchcompletion of their studies in theprogramme.UNIMAS has a very close collaborationwith the universities in Denmarkin offering the SLUSE-M masterprogramme. Every year, a groupof SLUSE students from Denmarkwill come to Malaysia to join withour SLUSE-M master students fromUNIMAS to go to the field to have theJoint Field Course. This year (2012),there are 27 students from UniversitiMalaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and 36students from Copenhagen Universityand Roskilde University in Denmarkparticipating in the Joint Field Courseheld in the five selected villages in SriAman from 3-13 March 2012. Duringthe whole joint field course duration,the students were exposed to manyhand-on learning experiences besidesbeing supervised by their lecturersboth from UNIMAS and from Denmarkuniversities.are placed in the respective villageswould come out from the villagesand present their research proposal inthe nearby town. In 2012, studentsfrom five villages in Sri Aman gatheredat Sri Aman Civic Centre to havetheir presentation. Later, this groupof students would go back to theirrespective villages to continue with theirstudy. They would later present theirfindings in front of the village headmenand community leaders/ heads. Beforethey present their final findings, somestudents have also visited the relevantagencies or departments to interviewthe officers-in-charge to gather moreinformation to confirm some of thefindings obtained in the village for theirresearch.type of training that would producea more whole-rounded persons thatmany firms are looking for today.Dear friends, are you dreaming toget your master degree withoutsacrificing your present work? Masterof Environmental Management(Development Planning) offered bythe Faculty Social Sciences is yourright choice as the classes are allconducted during weekends tomeet the needs of life-long learningopportunity among the workingprofessionals. Suppose you wouldlike to know further informationabout the Master of EnvironmentalManagement (Development Planning)offered by the Faculty of SocialVarious activities would be carried outduring this Joint Field Course period.The Malaysian students togetherwith Danish students are staying inthe selected villages for 11 days tostudy the livelihood strategies of thepeople in the villages. The studentshave sometimes also gone to thepaddy field, rubber estate, oil palmestate, and the nearby forest or thevillagers’ farms to see how those cropsare cultivated besides getting thesoil sample, water sample, as well ascarrying out vegetation and animalsampling in the nearby forest. Thesoil sample is taken to analyze thefertility of the soil in a particular area.On the other hand, water sample iscollected to find out the quality ofwater available in a particular areato determine if the water is safe forconsumption or otherwise. The stockof flora and fauna in the forest isidentified to see the availability of theresources in the selected area, and todetermine how villagers depend onthese resources for their livelihoods.Sometimes, the students would also goto the nearby waterfall to experiencethe nature besides trying to feel whatthe villagers in those selected areashave been experiencing every day.After spending about three days in therespective village, all the students whoIn other words, it is indeed veryrewarding to earn rich experience byparticipating in the joint field coursein the SLUSE master programme. Thestudents are not only grounded byall the theoretical knowledge, theyalso have inter-cultural exposure withboth local villagers and internationalstudents. In addition, they also havehand-on experience both from socialscience and hard science perspectivein analyzing the natural resourcesavailable in a specific area as well asthe livelihood strategies of the peoplein a specific area. This has definitelyenriched the learning experience ofstudents who are in the SLUSE-Mmaster programme. In fact, this is theSciences in UNIMAS, please do nothesitate to email us at slues_fss@pps.unimas.my. You may alsovisit UNIMAS website at http://www.postgrad.unimas.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166&Itemid=369.POSTGRADUATE & RESEARCHFACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCESUniversiti Malaysia Sarawak94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 584185 Fax: +6082 584163www.unimas.myJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 37

FoodA haven forimportedDelta MallSibu is thebest choicesfor specialtyproductsBuying local foodstuff is easywhen in Sibu, Sarawak’smain riverine town along theRejang River. However, for importedgoods, most folks here go to DeltaMall, a name synonymous with famousimported brands. Wines from Australia,Spain, biscuits from United Kingdomas well as variety of spices and widechoices of laksa, curry, soy sauce andassortment of other condiments fromSingapore can all be easily obtainedfrom Delta Mall. Located along JalanPedada, it is also easily reached fromanywhere in the town!The specialty goods are importeddirectly from the original countries andusually in limited quantities so that theyare fresh and do not sit on the shelvesfor a longtime. The main reason isbecause Delta Mall is known forwanting the best for their customerseven though it is more costly to onlyimport limited amount. In this way, thelatest packaged foodstuffs are sent tothem on a regular basis and are on paras when you shop overseas. In fact,regular customers are very aware oftheir practice and many complimentthem on that. Regulars also informthem that they even see some of thesesame products advertised in thesecountries when they browse online sothey know that Delta Mall do reallykeep up with the most recent productsin the store!When at Delta Mall, check out theseimported foodstuffs at the dedicatedcorner at the Supermarket locatedon the lower floor. The variousproducts are prominently displayedand you can immediately tell wherethe imported ones are. The importedfoodstuffs from Singapore arefurther stacked together in anothercorner to differentiate them fromthe others. For those into organicfoodstuffs, you will be delighted toknow that a dedicated corner hasalso been set up especially for theseproducts. All your health and beautyproducts are available here. Thesupermarket has already noticed thegrowing trend of people choosingorganic products for their families. Infact, what you need for home andoffice can be sourced from DeltaMall!For any enquiries, the management can bereached at tel no. +6084 325133,313719 and fax no +6084 318433or visit us at our office located on SF 16-19,Second Floor, Delta Mall, Lot 2831, JalanPedada, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia.(Opening hours: 10am to 9.30pm daily)38 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

Foodrestaurant, Tom’s Too is certainly awelcomed place in this Swan Town.You will also notice that here, thepatrons surprisingly include a largenumber of senior citizens, attractedto the place due to the choice offood and pleasant environment. It isvery joyous to see whole families ofgrandparents, parents and children allcoming together for meals at Tom’sToo restaurant on a regular basis.A name you just can’tforget in SibuPrawn Aglio OlioBeef SteakTom’s Too is certainly anunforgettable name for arestaurant; more so whenthe food is great and choiceswide! Welcome to Tom’s Too, acombination of western and easterncuisines located at Delta Mall, Sibu,Sarawak. The newly opened outletat the mall has been attracting foodlovers of all ages too as the choicesand prime location makes therestaurant a favourite place.First time patrons will also besurprised by the lavish decoration ofthe restaurant, inside and outsidetoo. Providing appealing looks andchoices of materials used in thePaniniSo what are the specialties of therestaurant? According to some, thesteam chicken rice is amongst thebest in town; choice quality rice andsucculent chicken with hot, spicysauces. Another specialty here isthe sambal fried noodles for thoseinto noodles. The food connoisseursrecommend this for those looking forsomething different in their noodlesat Tom’s Too.Western choices are also a crowdpuller here; the lamb shank is rankedtop in town for its soft textureand appetizing gravy sauce whilethe ever-popular garlic bread is atreat whenever at Tom’s Too. Forsomething less filling, try out theclub sandwich with its choices of cutmeat, vegetables and right amountof butter and mayo combination.The macaroni cheese cake is onlyavailable at Toms Too in Sibu so youhave to come here to try it out.In addition to the food choices, thesoups here like broccoli, pumpkinand mushroom are also temptingand certainly right for light luncheswith other combinations. So whenin Sibu, Tom’s Too is easily the bestchoice to go for wide variety of foodchoices where the whole family canenjoy in a cosy setting.For reservation andbookings, please call+6084 322301 or +60128822259Lamb ShankUG14-17, 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)Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 39

W32H4EBAHH1HHHHHJALANHHSHHEIHA TMHJHHIOVRESEHHHHHHHHHHHHHNMHHSarawak Map360 Urban Resort Hotel360 Hotel Hock LeeCentreCrownSquareJALANPENDINGDorsetBoutique HotelJ A L A N F O O C H O WJALAN DATUK ABANG ABDUL RAHIMDewanMasyarakatJUBILEERECREATIONGROUNDMBKSSwimming PoolR I VE RWet Market &Hawker CentreJALAN PETANAKC H E N G H OJ A L A N A N GJALAN PADUNGANJ A L A N D A T U KL IW I LT AAJALAN SEKAMAJALAN CH AWANS A R A W A KKhatuistiwaRiverbank SuiteGrand Magherita HotelRAHMANF R O N TABDULJALANTribalScoopsRiversideMajesticKuchingWismaTing Pek KingABELLP A D U N G A NJ A L A NJALANPADUNGANCHEOKKim BayTop Spot Food CourtMalaysiaAirlinesArivaGatewayCATStatueCATStatueChung HuaNo. 3 SchoolHockey StadiumJALAN SONG THIANPullmanHotel &ResortsTelangUsan Hotel360XpressSarawakPlazaCATStatueBAN HOCKJALANJALAN DESHONHindu TempleHotel GrandContinentalCentrepointShopping CentreTun JugahGreat Wall CrosswayCozziThiam MingSCRSecret RecipeChoon HuiCafeBus Asia/Asia Star OfficeSaramo HostelCarus Woodat&a Home Ideas Sdn. Bhd.LimetreeHotelPoliceStationHong Kong Pau CafeBedsTerminal OneLaungeFireStationJALAN CENTRAL TIMURJALAN ELLISJALAN TAN SRI ONG KEE HUIJ A L A N L U M B A K U D AJALAN SIMPANGTIGAKua NingTempleSarakraf PavilionHome StayMian AnnZestAtokKopitiam AbSolutelySayangKuching South CityCouncil (MBKS)PoliceStationGoodrichJALAN MENDU(JALAN CENTRAL BARAT)TUNAstanaOTHER ENQUIRIESTourism Malaysia-Sarawak+6082 246575, 246775Infoline 1300-88-5050Sarawak Tourism Board+6082 423600MAS Office+6082 244144, 246622Air Asia+6082 283222KCH International Airport+6082-454255, 454242LEGENDSROrchid GardenENew State LegislativeAssembly (DUN)R I VSKA RFort MargheritaSquare TowerAJALAN GAMBIERIndia MosqueASarawakTourism ComplexINDIA STREETPEDESTRIAN MALLPoliceTourist BoothOpen Air MarketK UC H I N GRW A TJALAN MAIN BAZAARTextile MuseumLittle LebanonElectraHouseJALAN KHOO H UN YEANGMARKETSouvenirs ShopsSiang TiTempleLE B U HCARPENTER STREETChinese MuseumLife CafeAJIB AH ABOLDATUKJALAN2020JALAN W AWASANCHINA STREET ULU CHINA STREETDivisional MosquePoliceStationMr.D’sBerambihLodgeResiden OfficeYayasan SarawakJA L A NL EBUH TEMPLELEBUH WAYANGJALAN MOSQUEHong San SiTemplePADANGMERDEKASikh TempleDormani HotelTua PekKong TempleMedanPelitaJALAN McDOUGALLTUN ABANG HA JI OPENGPoliklinikBARRACKH HTAHAMerdeka PalaceHotel & SuitesDewan Tun Abdul RazakMuzeumArts MuseumA NA LState & DBKULibraryJALAN HAJIRed CrescentBuildingROld Sarawak MuseumAquariumIslamic MuseumRJALANJ A L A N R A M L E EChung HuaSchoolJ A L A NHopohShoppingCentreMy BookstoreRadioTelevisionMalaysiaJALAN KULASTop Hill KitchenLodge 121Heroes’MonumentIslamicGardenBankNegaraSyariahCourtSCRWisma SatokJALAN SATOKJALAN SATOKRESERVOIRPARKBuhari CafeJA L A NKopi ‘O’ CornerTelekomMalaysiaRJ Ayam Penyet KopitiamSUNDAYMARKETPasar TamuTABUANJALANSCR XpressTAMAN BUDAYAJALAN RUBBERParkLaneLodgeSt. Joseph ChurchSCRJALAN PARKSamudraCourt HotelAmphitheatreJALAN NANASSarawak ClubJALAN BADRUDDINJALAN BUDAYAJALAN BAMPFYLDEC ROOKSHANKTUN ABANG HAJI OPENGPolice ContingentHQSRB ChungHua No. 4PlanetariumLand & SurveyDivisional Office IntanCivic CentreJALAN PALM KUCHING AREA (SARAWAK)Immigration Department+6082 245661, 230280Custom+6082 33313324-hour Public Service Line+6082 555999Taxi Service+6082 480000, 341818Police Station+6082 245522, 241222, 999Traffic Police+6082 241133ShoppingHotelsCentresKuching MatangTransportPetra JayaTransportFood Outlet / Restaurant/ Entertainment OutletJPJ+6082 258811, 628700DBKU+6082 446688MBKS+6082 238080, 242311Telekom+6082 429191, 255994Post Office+6082 244141, 339937General Hospital+6082 230689, 257855SarawakCraft CouncilGeneralPost OfficeBank / ATMTaxiStationMosque Church TempleJALANJALANJALAN PISANGen RoadondarychoolPadawan Council+6082 615566SESCO+6082 333111Kuching Water Board+6082 240371BOMBA (Fire Brigade)+6082 241033, 994, 417712Rescue 991+6082 256685JKR+6082 203100General Hospital1. Sarawak Tourism Board2. Visitors’ Information Centre3. Sarawak Tourism Federation4. Tourism Malaysia Office40 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

FoodLIansin rejoices with her Muslimfriends and customers in thecelebration of the season ofRamadhan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Forthis joyous occasion of thanksgivingand love, Liansin has put together apromotion of three different varieties oftop grade rice to enhance the festivities.Butterfly brandof fragrant ricevariety is naturallypreferred forits fragrancearoma whencooked; theyare tender andvery palatablefor any agegroup. Tryout thisbubur pedasrecipe by courtesy of Sabati, SarawakBadan Tenaga Amal Isteri-isteri. BuburPedas Sarawak is a specialty of theSarawak Malays traditionally served forbreaking of fast during the month ofRamadhan.“Bubur PedasSpice Mixture”Ingredients- 1kg Butterfly brand rice (clean & rinse dry)- 1 coconut (fry-dry the grated coconut tomake into “kersik”)A – 50gm coriander, 50gm cumin, 50gmaniseed, 1 teaspoon cloves, a small pieceof cinnamonB – 5 stalks lemon grass, a small piece wildginger (lengkuas), a small piece ginger,10 dried chillies, 15 red onions, 10 clovesgarlic, 100gm turmeric powder, dash ofwhite pepper powderMethod1) Heat ingredients A in a wok withoutoil for several minutes, then removeand pound together. Slice, dry and mixtogether ingredients B.2) Pound the rice together with ingredientsB as well as the dried coconut(moderately pounded). Then mix wellwith the rest of the ingredients.42 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Bubur Pedas SarawakIngredients- 15 red onion (finely chopped)- 8 cloves garlic (finely sliced)- 10 dried chillies (soaked in warm water,drained and pounded)- 300gm homemade “bubur pedas” spicemixture- 100gm lily flowers (soaked in warmwater, drained and finely slice)- 140gm dried bean curd (soaked in warmwater, drained and finely sliced)- 50gm dried black fungus/driedmushroom (soaked in warm water,drained and finely sliced)- 50gm dried shrimps pounded or freshprawns- 100gm vermicelli (soaked in warm water,drained and cut into short lengths)- 500gm beef (sliced)- 150gm potatoes (peeled and cut intosmall cubes)- 12 turmeric leaves (finely sliced)- 5 “sengkel” leaves (finely chopped)- 150gm long beans (finely chopped)- 1–1½kg grated coconut (mixed with1½–2litres of water to extract thecoconut milk)- cooking oil and salt to tasteMethod1) Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan.Fry the onions, garlic, chillies driedshrimps and stir until brown. Mix the“bubur pedas” spice mixture with somewater to make a paste and add into thewok. Keep stirring until well blended andfragrant.2) Add the sliced beef, cubed potatoes andthe rest of ingredients. Mix well then addthe coconut milk. Add further coconut milkif necessary. Stir occasionally under high tomoderate heat until well cooked and thegravy slightly thickens. Add salt to taste.RECIPE BOOK - A Selection ofthe Flavours of Sarawak is forsale at RM35.00 per book.Kindly contact SABATI officeto purchase. Contact HjhRukayah or Dayang Nazizahat +6082 313800Cap Amoiof white ricevariety isidealfornasi lemak,ketupat t or friedrice or even theRamadhan special“Nasi Minyak”.

FoodNasi MinyakIngredients- ¼ cup ghee- 2 cloves garlic (pounded)- 2 large onion (finely sliced)- 4 cloves- 2 inch cinnamon stick- 6 pods cardamon- pinch of ground white pepper- 2 cups of Cap Amoi rice- 2 cups of water- 1 cup fresh/skim milk- 2–3 pinch of saffron- ½ cups raisins- 3 stalks of pandan leaves- fried onions and almond for servingMethod1) Heat Ghee in a pot. Then add in the onions andgarlic and fry until lightly brown.2) Add in cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom andwhite pepper and fry for 5 minutes.3) Add rice, water, skim/fresh milk, pandan leavesand saffron, stirring to ensure ingredients areequally mixed. Then cover the pot with the lidfor the mixture to dry up under low heat.4) Fold in the raisins to mixed with riceproportionally, then leave on low heat it untilproperly cook.5) Served with fried onions and almond on top.Biryani Kingof the extra longgrain basmathi ricevariety looks reallyimpressive and goodto eat. As the namesays this type of riceis ideal for cookingBiryani Rice.For more information, please contactLiansin Trading Sdn Bhd (516882-W),Lot 2041, Section 66, Jalan Kisar, Bintawa IndustrialEstate, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 333555, 335558, 334558Fax: +6082 335599 Email: liansin@streamyx.comwww.liansin.comWith every purchase of a10kg bag Cap Amoi, 5kgbag Butterfly and 5kg bagBriyani King brand rice, beentitled to a free stainlesssteel tablespoon. Whilestocks last!CHECK ITOUT TODAY& DON’TMISS OUT!Ramadhan&Hari RayaAidilfitriPromotionAvailable at all leadingsupermarkets,hypermarkets & retail shopsthroughout SarawakJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 43

Philippine Style Deep FriedPork Knuckleset2Grilled MackerelFor those of you who have been to Fusion Grill at BrightonSquare in Kuching, you know that the restaurant servessome of the best unpretentious fusion dishes in town. Andfor those of you who haven’t been there, you ought to start goingto the restaurant, especially if you like pork!AGreatdealyou can’t resistAnd what better time to spoil yourselfwith some truly satisfying dishesat Fusion Grill than from July 1 toSeptember 1, when the restaurant willbe having its promotion sets with pricesso low you won’t believe that it’s true.set1Foodit a meal truly worth paying for,considering the sheer volume you get.These fabulous set meals areavailable on promotion from July 1to September 1 and valid onlyon Friday, Saturday and publicholidays. Advance booking (minimumtwo days, subject to availability) isadvised to avoid disappointment.Rescheduling of booking dates must bedone one day prior to booking date.A brainchild of Margaret Changgan-Winter and E C Kim, a Korean whohas been living here in Kuching forabout 10 years now, Fusion Grill servesfusion-style dishes, with heavy Koreaninfluence in many of its dishes.The Korean elements can also be seenall throughout the restaurant, blendingperfectly with other non-Korean decor.The food served at Fusion Grill areprepared with the freshest ingredientsby the kitchen team, and many ofThree sumptuous sets are on thepromotion. The first features PhilippineStyle Deep Fried Pork Knuckle (large)served with spicy sweet sauce. Bite intothe crunchy skin of the pork, then savourthe sweet and juicy meat underneath.This lip smacker is big enough to beshared by up to four persons.The pork knuckle also comes withMixed Green Salad and French Fries.Together, they are sold at a promotionalprice of RM45 only. The second setfeatures Grilled Mackerel served withkimchi and spicy soy sauce with bird’seye chillies. A meal perfect for two, thisset also comes with rice and KimchiSoup, and is valued at just RM30.Can’t get enough of pork? Then thethird set will surely satisfy you, especiallyif you like pork ribs. Smothered ina delicious sweet, sour and smoky(wholly owned by Ribs & Grill Sdn Bhd)www.fusiongril.com.mybarbecue sauce, the BBQ Pork Ribs(large) dish is the star of Set 3.A meal good for two to threepersons, the decadent ribs are bestenjoyed using nothing but yourfingers and teeth. The BBQ Pork Ribscomes served with French Fries andMixed Green Salad. Adding to thatis a house speciality called Teobokki,which you will absolutely love.Set 3 is valued at RM51 only, makingGround Floor, Lot 7691, Block 15, Brighton Square, Jalan Song,93350 Kuching, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 285882(Opening hours: 11am - 11pm (Friday & Saturday),11am - 10pm (Tuesday to Thursday & Sunday) & Closed on Mondaythe items in the menu don’t taste likewhat they seem - in a good way thatis. Besides the three promotional itemshighlighted in this issue, the restaurantalso has plenty of other tantalisingdishes, like its popular Korean style grillusing a special infra-red portable grillimported from Korea.Fusion Grill is wholly owned byRibs & Grill Sdn Bhd, wholesalerand distributor of Korean productsincluding the Chum-churum Soju.Kimchi SoupJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 45set2

FoodPizza Proscuitto E FunghiPasta-Spaghetti aiGamberiPUCCIAProsciutto eFormaggioHow does freshly made pastataste like? It should nottaste like the usual frozenones bought in the supermarketsand more importantly, free frompreservatives and other additives! AtLittle Italy Restaurant in Kota Kinabalu,Sabah, all the pastas are guaranteedfreshly made everyday and you cantaste the difference! What’s more, youcan have a choice of types of pasta andsources to go with them.Lunch with friends and colleaguesor dinner with clients and familyare always special here as the cosyrestaurant serves authentic, freshlycooked dishes daily, from pizzas tolamb chops, appetizers to beef filletand wide choices of salads. Each ofthese are uniquely different from thosefound in other eateries as the secretrecipes of the family run restauranthave been handed down fromgenerations!Little ItalyRestaurant Sabahpromises freshlycooked mealseveryday!Come try out this restaurant locatedright in the heart of Sabah’s capital city;it is near to many hotels and you canbe sure that every taxi driver knows it!For more information onLittle Italy Restaurant callthem todayKota Kinabalu, Sabahwww.littleitaly-kk.comGround 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.comOpens daily from 10.30am to 11.00pmJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 47

FoodPerfectcakes forthe perfectweddingWhat’s a wedding withouta perfect wedding cake?At Mita Cake House,you are sure to find a cake design(with the perfect flavour to match)that will make your wedding extraspecial. There is a huge variety ofcake designs to choose from. There’sa simple three-tier cake with icingin three shades of red as well aslittle white hearts and silver beads,along with a floral arrangementon top of the cake. There’s also acake designed to resemble a fancyhat with wedding couple figurinesto top it off. There are even cakesdecorated with detailed and intricatedesigns and topped with a variety offlowers and fruits or figurines.But if you can’t find a design thatcatches your eyes, you don’t have toworry. At Mita Cake House, you caneven have a cake crafted in your owndesign ideas!Just head over to any Mita CakeHouse near you, sit down with themfor a casual discussion on how youwant your cake to look like, and theexperts at Mita will bringyour cake designconcept to reality.The wedding cakesat Mita are usuallydecoratedusing eitherbuttercreamor freshcream,although butter cream is usuallypreferred as with it, colour stands outbetter compared to when fresh creamis used.Customers can also choose to havetheir wedding cake decorated usingroyal icing, which lasts longer thanfresh cream or butter cream. Royalicing is perfect for more detailed andcomplicated designs, but consumesmore time and is pricier. So bookingshave to be done at least a month inadvance.Cake flavours include the usualvanilla or chocolate, but customerscan also request for other uniqueflavours of their liking, and how thetexture of their cake should be.Mita Cake House provides deliveryservice to areas within Kuchingand cake assemble will be done onlocation, so customers don’t have toworry about a thing.To look at allthe designoptionsavailable orfor moreenquiries,visit a MitaCake Housenear youtoday!155A, Jalan Satok, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak,Malaysia. Tel: +6082 416955, 245517 (O) Fax:+6082 416581 Email: mitacakehouse@ymail.comBranch No.117-D, Ban Hock Road, Kuching,Sarawak. Tel: +6082 429184 Lot 13-14,Jalan Tun Jugah, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082458693 Sub Lot 19, Jalan Setia Raja, TabuanStutong, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 361368 No.44, Gambier Street, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel:+6082 416202 No.199, Sub Lot 7, GroundFloor, EastMoore Centre, Jalan Rock, Kuching,Sarawak. Tel: +6082 417286 No.10 & 11,Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub, 93050 Kuching.Tel: +6082 238248MITA CAKE HOUSE48 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

FoodCurry Chicken RiceGo for an early morning Miri Citybreakfast at the Miri Market and earlymeans before 8:30 as you don’t wantto wait in line for the savoury curry rice. Thestore has been here for the past 30 years, servingcurry chicken with BBQ pork and three-layerstew pork for choices and each plate is just RM3!Really, you can’t go wrong at this price!M riFlavoursTaste of home-made food!Fried Clam Kueh TiawIf you think Penang chay kueh tiaw isgood, then this is the place for you whilein Sarawak’s Resort City Miri. Located atthe Jing Wood Café for the past 10 years, thestall attracts those who like the special homemade sambal paste that goes into the friedkueh tiaw with clams. You will also find Chinesesausages in the mix of bean sprouts and greenonions, garlic and soy sauce. It operates dailyfrom 4:30pm so you have plenty of time to whileaway the lazy afternoon having your fill of tastyfried kueh tiaw.50 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Kinky Fat Chef KitchenThis home-based special grill needs localguides to bring you as it is quite a taskto find on your own at Lot 668, PiasauSatu A, Piasau Fasa Satu 1. Once you get thereyou’ll be surprised by the wide choices available- Striploin Steak Sandwich, Grilled ChickenOverLoad, Grilled Mushroom Beef with BeefSauce. HomeMade BBQ Grilled Beef CheeseBurger with Grilled Mushroom with Sliced Beef,Lamb and Fishy burgers, Vegetarian Egg Burger,Vegetarian Mushroom Egg and much more.The stall starts in late afternoon and runs tillearly morning and locals come for the specialsauce and grilled goodness of the burgers. Thedifferent sizes also cater to those who wanteverything in large portions and you will not bedisappointed with the choices!

FoodVisitors and shoppers toKuching Sentral are sure tofind themselves exhaustedafter all the shopping, or perhapswindow-shopping at the bustlingnew transport terminal. Meanwhile,travellers arriving from destinationsoutside of Kuching will surely needto rejuvenate and fill up on somesatisfying food. And the best place todo just that is at the newly opened LifeTerminal Cafe.Located on the ground floor ofKuching Sentral, right at the mainentrance, Life Terminal Cafe offers notonly good food and refreshing drinks,but a relaxing ambience as well.Unlike the other Life outlets though,Life Terminal combines traditionalChinese decor with some modernelements. The best of both worldsthat make for a decor that is bothpleasant and inviting.The menu at Life Terminal Cafe @Kuching Sentral offers more varietycompared to the other outlets, withthe stars of the show being the ricecombo sets, which come with drinks.Must-haves include Terminal Currywith rice + drink, Beef Rendang withrice + drink, Lamb Rendang withrice + drink and Bamboo GinsengChicken with rice + drink.Also unique to Life Terminal Cafe’smenu are its side orders, whichinclude among others Traditional TeaEgg, Sea Kelp Salad, Mango Saladwith Beef and more.Life’s signature noodles are alsoavailable. But because Life TerminalCafe is a Halal outlet, no pork isused. However, customers get moremeat topping choices, includingMushroom Chicken, Minced Lamb,Minced Beef and Curry Chicken.These go well with Life’s spicynoodle/vermicelli, Shanghai noodle/vermicelli, dry noodle/vermicelli andmushroom noodle/vermicelli.Wash them down with one of LifeTerminal Cafe’s Top 10 beverages,including Sago Milk Tea, Sago MintGreen Tea, Cincao Milk Tea, SagoHoney Lemon Green Tea and more.The next time you visit KuchingSentral, be sure to pop into LifeTerminal Cafe for a satisfying mealamid a relaxing atmosphere.LifeTerminalCafeopens from10am to10pm dailyLIFE CAFÉ @ Ewe Hai Street Ewe Hai Street, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 425707LIFE CAFÉ @ Brighton Square* Jalan Song, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 285688LIFE CAFÉ @ Train Terrace* Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 232199LIFE CAFÉ @ Sutera Taman Sutera Utama, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. Tel: +6012 7873330LIFE TERMINAL CAFÉ @ Kuching Sentral* 1 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 531099 1 Opens daily from 10am to 10pm)LIFE CAFÉ KUCHING SDN BHD Tel/Fax: +6082 236024 Email: lifecafe@hotmail.com www.lifecafe.com.mycomJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 51

Nasi Briyani AyamNasi Kandar KambingKutu PurataOffering home-cooked authenticIndian Muslim Cooking. Servedfresh everyday, Nasi BriyaniAyam, Nasi Kandar Kambing, Kutu Purata,Rojak, Roti Salad and many others.Roti SaladRojakThe Restaurant also caters to privatefunctions for birthdays, weddings,engagements and other celebrations.They manage outside catering to privatehomes as well.{ Opens daily from 7am to 10pm }MK CAHAYA CATERING SERVICES93150 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel/Fax: +6082 233787 Email: mgunasagran@yahoo.com.myA World Class LNG Port andThe Port of BIMP-EAGAFor further information, kindly contactBintulu Port Sdn Bhd (254396 –V)12 th Mile, Tanjung Kidurong Road, P.O Box 996, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia.T: +6086 291001 (30lines) F: +6086 253597www.bintuluport.com.my52 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

Hotelfacilities, fridge and complimentarydaily newspaper.The Deluxe Twin Room is wellrecommended for two adults and amaximum of two children, featuring30sq.m of space with twin beds andsimilar amenities found in other rooms.For the single executive of traveller,the Deluxe Single or Double Room ismost appropriate as these rooms comewith 30sq.m area furnished with Kingor Queen sized bed, depending onindividual’s preferences.A touch ofthe classicsSabah’s JesseltonHotel features colonialtheme designed roomswith classical furnishingsand professionalpersonalized servicesKota Kinabalu, Sabah’scapital city is the heart ofthe tourism industry of thestate, with fine dining, fine hotels andexotic foods from almost every cornerof the world. In terms of heritage, theJesselton Hotel is the finest epitomeof splendid hotel accommodationwith excellent services and superiorrooms, located right in the mainfinancial district of the city!Featuring a colonial façade, JesseltonHotel is a classic building turned hoteland hosting all the finer aspects ofa top notch service hotel. The creamexterior is superbly matched with softlightings to bring out the structure’scontemporary design whichunderwent total renovation in 1989by WAY Chartered architects, giving itthe present iconic colonial façade. Theemphasis on classic theme does notend there; there’s even an authenticLondon cab complete with a tropicalcork sun hat driver just waiting toferry guests to the airport, a mere 20minutes drive away.While the hotel’s features may beclassical in concept and design, theservices rendered are professional andefficient, due mainly to the fact thatthe hotel only has 32 guest roomswhich guarantees better and morepersonalized services. The JuniorSuite room comprising 40sq.m areafeatures one king bed with superiorfurnishings of classical designs andmodern en-suite bathroom. It is alsomost suitable for executives anddignitaries when visiting the city asthe room also features free wirelessbroadband, satellite channels withflat screen TV, direct internationaltelephone dialing, plush bathrobesand sarongs, safe, coffee/tea makingThe most common rooms in JesseltonHotel are the Superior Single orDouble Rooms with a floor area of23sq.m and furnished with a Queensized bed. Here, guests may chooseconnecting rooms for larger familygatherings or bigger groups of friendsor colleagues. Like the other roomsof the hotel, these too come withclassical furnishings and fittings andit is safe to say that such featureswill be hard to find in any otherhotels in the state! As there are justlimited number of rooms availableat Jesselton Hotel, bookings arealways highly recommended to avoiddisappointment.Of course, you may also enjoyJesselton Hotel’s fine hospitality atits Bella Restaurant, featuring ChefLeonel Valdequez and his flair forinternational cuisines for lunch ordinner and also special and romanticcelebrations. Local favourites likeHainan Chicken rice, Laksa noodlesare also featured which every visitorshould try out in the comfort ofthe restaurant. Additionally, theMountbatten Lounge, located just offthe lobby, is ideal for afternoon tea orrelaxation spot after dinner.Call us at +6088 223333for reservations69, Gaya Street,88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.Tel: +6088 223333 Fax: +6088 240401Email: reservation@jesseltonhotel.comwww.jesseltonhotel.comJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 53

HotelFacilities andAmenities: Rates from RM49.99 nett ** terms & conditions apply.Wisma Phoenix, Jalan Song Thian Cheok, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 236060 Fax: +6082 237070 Email: reservation@360xpress.com.my54 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012www.360xpress.com.my

Hotel360 Urban Resort HotelKuching has top notchfacilities for discerning guests360 Urban Resort Hotel is locatedin Hock Lee centre, Kuching. TowerA which comprises 178 rooms offermajestic views of the surrounding citybelow. Each room in Tower A comeswith either King, Super Singles, orQueen size mattresses, mini-bar, coffee/tea making facilities, TV and FREE wificonnectivity and individually controlledair-conditioning. There is also a CoffeeHouse within the same block whereguests can try their various brands ofcoffees and teas in a relaxing setting.Shopping and other food choicesare available at the central podiumwhich link the two towering blocks ofhotels. Equally convenient too are thevarieties of shops within the vicinity ofthe hotel’s location like banks, clinics,eateries, recreational ground.For those visiting for the first time,360 Urban Resort Hotel Kuchingwill definitely be the choice for theirnext visit as the services and facilitiesoffered are top notched, 5-star qualityat very affordable 3-star prices!Rates fromRM99.00 nett** terms & conditions ons apply.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.comcomJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 55

HotelGATEWAYKUCHING“When Meetingsand Leisure Collides”At Ariva Gateway Kuching, you can have bothmeetings and leisure under one roof. Our newmeeting room called Alstonia is a place to be foryour brainstorming, training, interview, socialgathering and Annual General Meeting. After onewhole day of productive session, take a break andenjoy the panoramic view of Kuching City from ourLevel 16 rooftop swimming pool.You may want to treat your family too in our everpopular choice of 2 bedroom apartments withspacious room and well-furnished amenities whereyou can call it home.Meeting packages are available to suite your needs.Please enquire with our sales team or you canemail us on your requirements.For booking and enquiries, contact us at +6082 250958 or email us at Kuching.Enquiry@stayariva.comand for latest property, kindly visit www.stayariva.com56 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012NO 9 Jalan Bukit Mata, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 250958 Fax: +6082 259958

HotelClassy &ContemporaryCall us at +6088 518000ext-2307/2308 for reservationsHORIZON HOTELJalan Pantai, Locked Bag 2084, 88999 Kota Kinabalu,Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: +6088 518000 Fax: +6088 518111Email: info@horizonhotelsabah.comwww.horizonhotelsabah.comHorizon HotelSabah offerssuperiorhospitality withgrand cuisinesKota Kinabalu is Sabah’scapital city and gatewayto Borneo and Malaysiaas its ideal location makes travelingto anywhere just a short hop away!Before boarding on your nextflight, stay in this beautiful city andnowhere else is the perfect addressthan Horizon Hotel, right in theheart of the city. From here, thesea, city and surroundings are allpart of the grandeur horizon andcaptivating views.At Horizon Hotel you can choosefrom a variety of exquisite roomstastefully decorated with artworks,plush décor, marble bathroomcounter tops, timber flooring,king-size beds in suite rooms withplush duvet and luxurious amenities.Naturally, you can choose from the180 rooms with city or sea views ora combination of both, somethingthat’s unique and special onlyavailable at Horizon Hotel! Of worthymention are the one of a kind DeluxeSuite, Grand Deluxe Suite and CEOSuite; each superbly decorated andlavished with a Jacuzzi while the CEOSuite comes with a complimentarysauna and steam bath. The SPAon the entire 5 th floor will open forbusiness in July 2012.Breakfast at the Deco Café & Bar offerschoices of international to local cuisinesfor the whole family and friends. Fordining here you can pick from its a lacarte menu of favourite grills, pizzasand pastas. The Bar corner serveswhole range of cocktails, mocktailsand wines, liquor to beverages in quietsetting ideally suited for conversationsand relaxing.The Asian Restaurant simply oozes withchoices of traditional Chinese delightsto Thai flairs, each delightful to theeyes and savoury to the senses. If that’snot enough, there is also Nyonya stylecooking, with just a tinge of spicinessto arouse the taste buds. Desserts ofpastries are astounding at the Pastria, acosy corner to enjoy the niceties of life!Private dining at Euro Asia Loungeon the 13 th floor is all about the viewfrom the floor to ceiling glass wallsoverlooking the city and sea; the placeto have your favourite drink in handand just chill out. If you like views,the swimming pool is another superblocation and also has a pool bar.Horizon Hotel also offers good selectionof seminar and function rooms, whichcan easily seat from 20 to 300 guests atany one time. Just call them for all yourneeds when in Kota Kinabalu as theyare the hospitality people ready to servewhenever you check in.* Promotional rates starts from RM200.00++ per room per nightwith buffet breakfast for two guests. Meeting package starts fromRM40.00 nett per guest.* Terms & Condition applyJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 57

The recipient of Ministry of Tourism Sarawak2011 Award for Most Innovative Individuals,Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort in Miri, isample proof that the resort constantly reinventsitself to provide the best to its guests. From thehumble origins of a secluded resort in the midstof a tropical jungle to one for team buildingand family fun, it is one place that can cater todifferent range of demands.Miri’s premierFun,Relaxing andLuxuriousVenueVisitors can choose from a range ofaccommodation here while meals and facilitiesare all ready for those who have booked inadvanced. Children get to enjoy their fun timein the mini swim pool and water park whilejungle trekking is an adventure for those whowant to get away from city living. Choose yourpreference here and you can be sure that theresort will prove that their award is not justmerely for decoration – they are always lookingfor new ways to make guests welcome andenjoy their stay here!Award winning BorneoTropical Rainforest ResortMiri has what it takes forjunglegreat outdoorsadventurePlan a holiday for the whole family in luxurious green surroundingswhen in Sarawak’s Resort City Miri at the Eastwood Valley Golf& Country Club; it’s everything you’ll ever want. Golfing greensand practice range, swimming pool with rowing boats in the lake,sauna rooms, team building facilities and jungle trekking for theadventurous are some of the ample things to do here.The dining venue overlooks the lake with splendid food all daylong and can also cater to big events like weddings and familyreunions. Since opening its doors in 2005 this has become thepremier address for social gatherings and also for seminars andother similar events.Choices of luxury rooms with various combinations from singleto deluxe or family to longhouse are available and all are wellequipped with modern amenities for a good night rest. Anywayyou look at it, with Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club asyour destination of choice in Miri, you are assured of having afun and enjoyable time here!Lot 1379, Block 17, Jalan Miri-by-pass,98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6085 421010 Fax: +6085 417858Email: info@eastwoodvalley.comwww.eastwoodvalley.comKM36 Miri-Bintulu Road, Lot 15, Block 2, Sibuti Land District, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6085 407198, +6085 613888 Fax: +6085 613808Email: info@borneorainforestresort.comMiri Office: Lot 101, Airport Road, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6085 613888 Fax: +6085 613808www.BorneoRainforestResort.com

The center pointwith newlyrefurbished roomsin bustling SibuLocated right in the heart ofthe bustling town, TanahmasHotel is about as close to thecenter as you can get here.Everything, from shopping toentertainment, business topleasure, is just around thecorner or mere walking distances away. Convenience isstaying in this strategically sited hotel!Adorned with awards for its facilities and services,Tanahmas Hotel is the choice for corporate andfamily visits with 120 newly refurbished deluxe roomsto choose from and ample facilities, amenities to satisfyevery needs! Check out the hotel at its website (www.tanahmas.com.my) or call forreservations.Facilities inroom:LCD TV with 21channels, Freewi-fi inside hotel,Personal unitadjustable airconditionedunits,Hot shower, towels,Tea/Coffee makingfacilities, Safe box &writing desk.Centrally located, brand newfurnishings in all our Standard,Deluxe and Superior Rooms atcompetitive prices. Clean roomswith fully equipped modernamenities like TV, Coffee/teamaking machines, hot showers andfree Wi-Fi inside hotel. Excellentand efficient services to make yourstay enjoyable and relaxing!Suitable for business and pleasure,individuals, families or groups withfacilities for seminar, conferencesor meetings with seating capacityof 100 (theater format).Online booking, please log on towww.dorsetboutiquehotel.comLot 277, Block 5, Jalan Kampung Nyabor, P.O. Box 240 96007 Sibu,Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6084 333188 Fax: +6084 333288Email: tanahmas@streamyx.comwww.tanahmas.com.myNo. 175, 175A-C, Jalan Sekama, 93300 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 347799 Fax: +6082 346799Email: reservation@Dorsetboutiquehotel.com

InfoSarawak WelfareDepartmentChildren are the future of the nation and no childshould be brought up feeling lonely and unwanted.The Sarawak Welfare Department ensures thatabandoned and orphaned children have a comfortablehome with loving foster parents and families as part of theircommitment to make the state a model in child welfare inthe country. In addition, the department also puts mucheffort and time to register disabled persons and providethem with the necessary skills to lead meaningful livesdespite their handicaps.Child FosteringProgrammeKARISMA 1 AZAM, YB DatukFatimah Abdullah, Minister inWelfare, Women and FamilyDevelopment giving awayschool bags in DalatThere are currently twoGovernment-run institutionsproviding care andprotection for children below 18years of age as required for by theChild Protection Act 2001. Theseinstitutions are located each inKuching and Sri Aman respectively.Admissions to these institutions aremostly by court order.Children admitted to theseinstitutions come from varioussocio-economic backgroundsand social circumstances, such asabandonment, neglect, abuses,economic and social vulnerability.Some are the result of maritalconflicts like divorce, separation orthe demise of both parents.The Welfare Department is veryconcerned about the psycho-socialand cognitive development of thesechildren and strongly believe in thepivotal role of the family in bringingabout such development in the child.Hence, we would like to call uponchildless couples who are interested tofoster or adopt a child to come forwardand help enlighten the lives of theselonely children by participating in ourfostering programme which are of thefollowing objectives:opportunity to the childlesscouples to experience a familylife with a child to love, cherishand nurture.child to feel accepted, lovedand cared for by a family in ahomely atmosphere.stimulus for psycho-social60 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

growth and cognitivedevelopment of the childthrough the process ofinteraction and socialisationin the actual family settingthat is imperative for a holisticeducational advancement of thechild.Any couple interested to participatein the programme has to fulfil thefollowing conditions:legally married and resident ofMalaysia.than 5 years.less than 5 years may also beconsidered on proof of medicalgrounds.advanced age.may be considered if the agedifference between the childand the interested party is atleast 21 years. However, a maleapplicant may only foster/adopta male child.and sufficient to support thefamily and the child.integrity.religion as the child.For further enquiries,please call theNur hotline @ 15999or the Children Services Unit@ +6082 449577 / 444121,or visit the Welfare officesnearest you.InfoDistribution of free bicycles with the aim tofacilitate transport for rural region studentsRegistration OfPersons WithDisabilities (PWD)Prime Minister of Malaysia,Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib binTun Haji Abdul Razak beingexplained on the usage ofthe latest OKU card printerduring Jelajah Janji Ditepatiprogram held in SarawakOrang Kurang Upaya “OKU” as it iscommonly knownNew OKU card gets the thumbsup with Director of WelfareDepartment, Puan Noriah HajiAhmad in presenceThe registration of Personswith disabilities is requiredfor by the Persons WithDisabilities Act, 2008. A proper andup-to-date statistical record of PWDis necessary for efficient planningand budgeting purposes by theGovernment and stakeholders.Under the inclusive developmentprogramme of the Government,PWD are given due attention andconsideration in every facet of thedevelopment in line with existinglaws and international conventions,protocols and treatise.Hence PWD have to be preparedpsychologically to face new realitiesJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 61

InfoSarawak Welfare Department hosted The King’s Birthdaycelebration, 2 nd June 2012 in Dewan DUN Baruand challenges of life brought about byrapid development and social change.They have to avail themselves of goodeducation and vocational/technicaltraining to receive equal opportunityand full participation in all spheres ofmainstream development.According to the World Disability Report(2011) issued by the World HealthOrganisation (WHO), 10 to 15 percentof any given population of a nationare having some forms of disabilities.Hence for Sarawak, with a populationof 2.4 million, there should be at least240,000 PWD. But as of June 2012only 28,216 PWD has registered withthe State Welfare Department and theyhave been issued with the new ID cardswhich have improved features, suchas tactile and identifiable marks on theClient DevelopmentIn year 2012, the State WelfareDepartment focuses more on humancapital development to encourage itswelfare recipients to be self-reliant andcorner of the card.As the number of registered PWD isstill very low, the Welfare Departmentis exhausting all avenues and measuresto register them. However, this task israther formidable in light of the presentgeographical, demographic andcommunication challenges in Sarawak.Therefore the department welcomesany support and assistance fromgrassroot organisations, social clubs,non-governmental organisations aswell as Government agencies to helpidentify and register the PWD livingin the smaller towns, villages andlonghouses in the rural areas. Parentsof disabled children are also remindedto co-operate by allowing their childrento be registered and send them forto help increase their employability.The Client Development Programmeinitiated for the welfare recipientsrefers to the provision of opportunitiesand to acquire gainful occupation thusearly intervention programmes in theCommunity-based Rehabilitation centresand for education in the special schoolsprovided for them by the Government.For any enquiries,please visit the nearestWelfare office, or call theDisability Services Unit@ +6082 449577 / 444121a better livelihood through practicalskills and basic business managementskills. To help them embark on theirown business, provision of capitalassistance are provided to incomegenerating project.The Sarawak Welfare Department provides opportunities for the recipient to learn and to lead a productive and fulfilling lifeFor 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.mywww.welfare.sarawak.gov.my62 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

Info Studying in the UK can be an eye-opening and exciting adventure. Find out all youneed to prepare for a successful UK education. The pre-departure briefing will coveraspects on student visa, banking, arrivals, transportation, studying and living in theUK. Where possible, UK alumni will be on hand to share their UK experiences.There is an admission charge of RM50 per person (applicable to venues in Malaysiaonly). To book your seats, please click on the following web link:BRUNEI: www.surveymonkey.com/s/Brunei_Predeparture_Briefing_2012MALAYSIA: www.surveymonkey.com/s/Msia_Predeparture_briefing_2012If you are still wondering about furthering your studies but unsure of what to do, where to go and how to apply to institutions of higherlearning, 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 199E: sarawak@britishcouncil.org.myJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 63

InfoArtwork on the ceiling of the New York Public LibraryBeauty is in the eyes of thebeholder. This phrase cameinto my mind as I wasthinking on writing about “readingis fashionable”. Well, fashionableis, to a certain extent, about beingbeautiful. Nevertheless differentpeople see things differently andthus it is commonly accepted thatthe observer has the final say onwhat he or she deems beautiful.The fashion industry regularly relies ontop models, superstars or celebritiesto help push their designs into themarket. Resources are invested in orderto influence consumers’ perceptionon what constitute fashionable andbeautiful. Once the industry wascriticized for promoting extremelythin or anorexic models which criticssaid might influence youngsters intothe negative habits of avoiding food.Whether this is true or not is stillsubject to arguments. What worries usis the fact that the young and innocentmight not be able to decide objectively,and in their pursuit to be cool andtrendy, will follow “blindly” what theysaw on commercial advertisements.By protecting our youth from“negative” advertising we thoughtthat we helped to save them fromindulging into bad habits. This was trueis beautifulby Japri Bujang Maslifor centuries ago until we are facingwith what is called the informationexplosion. With information comingfrom myriad of sources it has becomeimpossible for parents to protect theirchildren from things they thoughtare not good for them. In fact manyparents themselves are ignorant aboutthe many sources of negative, false,illicit or pornographic information thatare available on the internet nowadays.As such we should follow the notionthat prevention is actually a lot betterthan cure. So, we must ensure thatour youth are immune to all negativeinfluence that might reach themintentionally or otherwise throughinformation sources they are accessing.A strong mind is what every one ofus, regardless of age, needs in orderto ensure strong immunity againstbeing influenced by un-authoritativeinformation. So, how do we makea strong mind? Joseph Addison wasquoted as saying that “reading is tothe mind what exercise is to the body”.The more we read the stronger andhealthier our mind is. A knowledgeablemind will not just be able to filterout wrong information but also ableto decipher the correct meaning ofinformation they read. As such they willbe able to understand that a healthylook is more beautiful than an anorexicone. An artwork is more beautifulwhen we are able to understandthe reasons, context and history ofits creation than another that is justproduced for commercial reasons. Alanguage is more beautiful when themeaning is conveyed correctly in arich vocabulary than merely a simplestatement of broken sentence.As intelligent beings we think,consciously or unconsciously, in orderto come up with a conclusion if whatwe see is beautiful or not. That iswhy a well read person will be ableto see the beauty of everything theysee in life or thinking positively. Theycan see the bright side of whatevercomes by. They are enlightened.In wealth and health they see theopportunity to be grateful, and indifficulties and sickness they see themoment for patience. In the time ofjoy they see reasons for thankfulness,and in the time of sadness they seethe opportunity for self reflection.Reading enlightens our “eyes” to thebeauties of God’s creations. Readingalso enlightens us to be careful whenevaluating works of fellow humans.Can’t we see beauty in the rowsof books in a library? If not, thenwe should read even more.64 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012SARAWAK STATE LIBRARY (PUSTAKA)T: +6082 442000 F: +6082 449944 E: librarian@sarawaknet.gov.my W: www.pustaka-sarawak.com

ShoppingMarbleForeverWHB Furniture shop isthe ideal venue for allyour home, offices andspecialized outlets needs,including priceless marblefurniture piecesNothing quite makes a dinnercomplete without a remarkabletable set; in fact, most restaurantsand high-end specialties diners now usemarble tables. All for good reasons. Marblenever runs out of style, always gives astately look and impressive, polished surfaceis scratch and stain free, heat and waterresistant while heavy table top gives a sturdyfeel to the whole table, giving a sense of solidfoundation to the whole table. It’s no wonderthat marble tables are amongst the priciestfurniture pieces in dining rooms.“It is easy to spot a marble tableas often first look will give youan impression of the polishedsurface and sparkling gleam of themarble, especially those high-endones,” said Nicholas Sia, managerof WHB Furniture in Kuching.“Today, many of my customerseven custom carve their diningtables to their desires which is reallyimpressive when the final table isassembled as it is exactly the size,colour and shape that they wantto fit in their dining rooms. Theinvestment is initially high but thetable will always be the centre ofattention whenever guests comefor an evening of fine dinner and along table is even more patronizingand classy.” However, he saidthat the family marble table formost homes could be easily withinbudgets as there are numeroustypes to choose from.“I do hope that when you buymarble table, please do check onthe quality as there are some thatare not pure marble or totally madefrom marble, usually a combinationof glass and other materials tomake up for the thickness andfillings. For us, we give guaranteesto our customers on their purchaseof marble tables and we clearlyinform them of their choices, asthere are several grades of marblesto choose from. Naturally, I will bewilling to show them if they cometo our showroom as it is quitedifficult to explain without themactually seeing and touching thematerials,” he explained.According to him, some customersmay also want their living roompieces to be marble tops and thistoo can be arranged, dependingon the existing tables they have.The advantages of a marble topare obvious as most families wouldhave experienced, that they don’tchipped, cracked or scratchedeasily as compared with othersurfaces like glass. WHB Furniturealso carries other marble furniturepieces for the home and officesand to see them, just drop into theshowroom and ask for them.In addition to marble furniture,the company is also a specialist inleather and other fine materialsused for furniture sets for thehome and offices, restaurants andother outlets. They do custommake furniture pieces for outletsspecializing in different trades sonothing is too difficult for them.Just check with Nicholas on yourneeds and he will gladly advice youon the right choices always.www.whbfurniture.comWEE HUA BOO TRADING SDN BHDTel: +6082 246641, 240775 Fax: +6082 240295 Email: enquiry@whbfurniture.comJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 65

ShoppingPharmacopia Pharmacy and HealthcareMiddle East Healthy snacks forRamadhan & Hari Raya AidilfitriGround Floor, Lot 332, Jalan Rubber, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 429300, Fax: +6082 429400 Email: pharmacopia2005@gmail.comSpecial outfits forRamadhan & Hari Raya AidilfitriFor more information, please contactHOUSE OF ZIARAH1 st Floor, Lot 332, Jalan Rubber,93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.T: +6082 429272 F: +6082 421272E: houseziarah@gmail.comwww.facebook.com/houseofziarah.comFor MENJubbah short sleevesor long sleeves andthe kopiahFor WOMENJubbah, sporty hoodedblouse, hand beaded hijab,square hijab from Turkey,fashionable scarves, pins andbroochesFor THE HOUSEWall hanging rugs and display,mats, Perfumed prayer rug,Prayer rug, Sejadah bag & etc.myBookstorehas stock for a wholerange of Islamicspiritual booksGround & First Floor, Wisma Anza, Lot 234,Jalan Haji Taha, 93748 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 416606, 429157 Fax: +6082 237952Email: info@my-bookstore.com.myFacebook: www.facebook.com.mybookstore.onlinewww.my-bookstore.com.myDrop by these outlets and letthem take care of all your needsfor the season of Ramadhanand the celebration ofHari Raya Aidilfitri

BooksMPH BOOKSTORES THE SPRINGLot 114, 1 st Floor, The Spring Shopping Mall,Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 244 800 Fax: +6082 244 801Website: www.mphonline.com Business hour: 10.00am - 10.00pmWe 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.myand present it at MidValley, Subang Parade, Megastore (1 Utama), Great EasternMall (Jalan Ampang), KLIA Airport, The Spring to enjoy the special offer.Only original coupon or downloaded coupon from www.enjoy365.com.my 30 th SEPT 2012SEARCH INSIDEYOURSELF:THE UNEXPECTED PATH TOACHIEVING SUCCESS, HAPPINESS(AND WORLD PEACE)Author: Chade-Meng TanPublisher: HarperCollinsISBN: 9780062204561, 9780007467976RM62.90Early Google engineer and personal growth pioneer Chade-Meng Tan first designedSearch Inside Yourself as a popular course at Google intended to transform the workand lives of the best and brightest behind one of the most innovative, successful, andprofitable businesses in the world . . . and now it can do the same for you. Meng hasdistilled emotional intelligence into a set of practical and proven tools and skills thatanyone can learn and develop. Created in collaboration with a Zen master, a CEO, aStanford University scientist, and Daniel Goleman (the guy who literally wrote the book onemotional intelligence), this program is grounded in science and expressed in a way thateven a skeptical, compulsively pragmatic, engineering-orientedbrain like Meng’s can process. Whether your intention is toreduce stress and increase well-being, heighten focus andcreativity, become more optimistic and resilient, build fulfillingrelationships, or just be successful, the skills provided by SearchInside Yourself will prove invaluable for you. This is your guideto enhancing productivity and creativity, finding meaning andfulfillment in your work and life, and experiencing profoundpeace, compassion, and happiness while doing so.IT WORKEDFOR ME:IN LIFE AND LEADERSHIPAuthor: Colin Powell with Tony KoltzPublisher: HarperCollinsISBN: 9780062135124RM89.90It Worked for Me is filled with vividexperiences and lessons learned thathave shaped the legendary publicservice career of the four-star general and former Secretary ofState Colin Powell. At its heart are Powell’s “Thirteen Rules”–notes he gathered over the years and that now form the basisof his leadership presentations given throughout the world.Powell’s short but sweet rules–among them, “Get mad, thenget over it” and “Share credit”–are illustrated by revealingpersonal stories that introduce and expand upon his principlesfor effective leadership: conviction, hard work, and, above all,respect for others. In work and in life, Powell writes, “it’s abouthow we touch and are touched by the people we meet. It’s allabout the people.” A natural storyteller, Powell offers warmand engaging parables with wise advice on succeeding in theworkplace and beyond. “Trust your people,” he counsels as hedelegates presidential briefing responsibilities to two junior StateDepartment desk officers. “Do your best–someone is watching,”he advises those just starting out, recalling his own teenagesummer job mopping floors in a soda-bottling factory.

PeopleFRIM’s Director General,Dato’ Dr Abd LatifMohmod shares hispassionBriefly, how would you summarise FRIM’s activitiesand contributions to conservation of forest and itsresources?Being the one and the only tropical forestry researchand development (R&D) institute in Malaysia, FRIMhas successfully restored and enhanced the biodiversityof this once-abandoned mining area of shrubs andvegetable gardens. In addition, FRIM’s R&D activities areaimed at helping the country in its continuous effortsin conserving the natural resources and environment,ensuring the sustainable management of our forests withthe development of efficient downstream processing andutilising technology to ensure the promotion of ecologicallysustainable forestry sector in Malaysia.withBorneo Talk68 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012

With FRIM being declared asNational Heritage, how do youforesee FRIM progressing in thenext decade and what are thegoals set?The declaration of FRIM as aNational Heritage is a dreamcome true for me personally, and asignificant achievement for FRIM,as it is an achievement that willensure the continuation of tropicalforestry research, developmentand commercialisation (R,D&C) inMalaysia. However, we have a biggergoal ahead of us and that is toachieve the UNESCO World Heritagerecognition by 2015.Everywhere in the world, it isgetting harder to attract studentsto become researchers in naturalsciences. What are some of theways that FRIM can contribute tomake research more attractive toa wider spectrum of studentsEducating the youngergenerations is the key tocreating a strong and prosperousMalaysia. Recognising this, weconstantly look at ways to promotebetter wider understanding amongstthe public of the importance oftropical forestry R,D&C conducted byFRIM.We conduct various environmentaleducation programmes and activitiesevery year, working with nongovernmentalorganisations such asthe Malaysian Nature Society, schools,universities, other related governmentagencies and corporate bodies. Wetake the opportunity to share ourknowledge, to create a love of nature,and promote environment conservationthrough significant world celebrationssuch as World Environment Day, WorldForestry Day, and International Day forBiodiversity etc.FRIM also works closely withother research institutes and localuniversities on various collaborativeefforts. We conduct short trainingcourses, workshops, seminars andconferences to promote informationexchange, sharing of knowledgeand expertise, and technologytransfer. Apart from that, FRIM alsoreceives many students for industrialtrainings – we get more than threeapplications per day for training indifferent research fields; thanks tothe Malaysian education systemwhich gives prominent importance to“Natural Sciences”.Since 2008, FRIM has receivednumerous scientific awards in relationto climate change, biodiversity,biotechnology and forest products(such as the Mahathir Science Award,Nikkei Asia Prize, IDB Prize forScience & Technology etc.) and thisindicates that importance of sciencein contributing to the well-being ofsociety and nation.Other than within FRIM, whereelse are your researchersconducting their work andare there any plans to do suchresearch in Sarawak?FRIM has facilities for conductingfield research in nine researchstations in different forest typesthroughout the peninsula. Its oldestresearch station is the 600-ha Pasoh,located in a lowland dipterocarpforest in Negeri Sembilan, which wasfounded in the early 1970’s. Thisresearch station received worldwideattention from tropical forestecologists and scientists, and hasbeen declared as Man and Biospheresite in 1987. Its excellent researchfacilities include a 50-ha permanentecological plot, an arboretum, and atree tower-canopy walkway system.FRIM’s other stations are the 455-haMata Ayer Station of teak and pinetrees in Perlis; the Jengka Station inPahang for research on hydrology,ecology, physiology, soil science,and silviculture; the 53-ha station inSetiu, Terengganu for research onthe planting of forest species andnon-timber species such as bamboo,on beach ridges interspersed withswales (BRIS) soils, and the 50-haMaran Station in Pahang for the studyof medicinal plants. Research at therecently established Segamat Stationin Johor focuses on the establishmentof commercial timber species, whilethe 125-ha Bidor Station in Perak, onafforestation of ex-mining land.FRIM established a formal tie withSarawak in early 2011 to work closelyPeoplewith various state agencies andorganisations on forestry conservationand R&D. The institute has signedfour Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Kuching North CityCommission (DBKU), SarawakBiodiversity Council, Sarawak ForestryCorporation (SFC) and BorneoBiogahru Sdn Bhd on February26 th , 2011. Apart from that, FRIMhas jointly organised the SarawakFurniture Industry DevelopmentSeminar in promoting the productionof niche furniture products usingalternative products earlier thisyear, working with Unimas andPusaka and we will be co-organisingThe International Symposium andExhibition on Natural Dyes (ISEND)and the World Eco-Fiber and Textile(WEFT) Forum 2012.Among others, FRIM has alsoconducted several basic trainingcourses on karas planting andagarwood production in Sarawak.Recently we conducted the coursein Sibu from 9 th to 11 th May 2012in collaboration with the SarawakChief Minister’s Office and SarawakForests Department. Subsequently,we will conduct the same course inBintulu and Kapit in June and Julyrespectively.In your line of work and itsdemands, how do you juggle thetwo aspects of family and work interms of time and commitment?Ihave been attached with FRIMfor 27 years now. I am grateful toAllah S.W.T. that my faith in HIM hassustained and helped me to managemy work, family and friends in termsof time and commitment. Believe me;finding a way to balance the personaland professional parts of life can bevery challenging, however once wehave learnt how to make choices thatreflect what we want for ourselves,our family and our community, thenwe’ll be able to better handle theprofessional responsibilities andpersonal priorities.Perhaps, my upbringing and habit ofdoing things since young, especiallymy persistence (in not giving up) andperseverance in striving for excellence,contribute to my determination to dowhat I think is right and best for FRIM.Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 69

Peoplewhen they bring back home aMalaysian Qualifications as weMalaysians brings back qualificationfrom overseas.A chat withTuan Haji BaharudinBin AbdullahCEO of ICATSMalaysian universities aregenerally lacking in credibleresearch to challenge majorinternational universities, whichlead to their low ranking. Howcan this be overcome and whatsteps are ICATS taking to becomean internationally recognizedinstitution of higher learning?agree that Malaysian universitiesI must have strong niche area intheir research and innovation. As ayounger player in education & trainingICATS will focus on their brandingto do more research on a model ofpathways to develop a structuredframework between ICATS and theindustry. We would ensure our futuregraduates are of competence toindustry requirement and standards.“Job-ready” is our aim, meaning tosay employment rate up to 100%.ICATS has progressed from asmall institution to one thatcaters now to wide spectrum ofvocations for many industries andprofessions under your guidance.Can you briefly provide pointerson the administrative processin the transformation and theimportance of human resourcesfor the whole exercise?ICATS is sensitive to the speed of thedevelopment of the state, and wehave to broaden our nature of businessto cater to the workforce needed by abroad spectrum of industries investingin Sarawak. As the needs and the typesof training arise, the administrativeprocess has to be tailored to transformthe training curriculum in matching theindustrial needs. “Skilling the Nation’sFuture” is our tag line in promotingthe importance of TVET (TechnicalVocational Education and Training) inSarawak.In your opinion, what are themajor steps Sarawak has toundertake in the developmentof human resources to become adeveloped state by 2020, giventhe sparseness of the populationand small population of the State.The mutual understandingand collaboration in humandevelopment between trainingproviders and industries should70 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012be further enhanced. Skills setsrequirement differs between eachindustries, so it creates a “skills gap”.The skills gap need to be addressedin order to avoid a “mismatch”. Thegraduates produce by each traininginstitution should undergo a “skillsgap” courses to top-up the different.The Workforce Development Unit(WDU) under the Chief Minister’sDepartment would also spearheadthe development of Sarawak IndustrySkills Council (SISC).Many Sarawak students andparents prefer to finish their studiesoverseas despite the availabilityof such courses locally in some ofour local universities in Sarawak.What would you advise them oncompletion of their professionalcourses locally if available?High income family would preferto send their children to studyabroad to gain more exposure andexperience. This is good and at thesame time, there are also increases innumber of foreign student studying atour local universities. Being graduatedfrom overseas institution wouldsomehow or rather bring mileagesto your qualifications. The foreignstudent who comes to Malaysiato study of course will bring backhome to their country a MalaysianQualifications. They also feel proudWhat are your aspirations forICATS in the next ten or twentyyears? Do you think that Sarawakcan compete with the best in theworld in the years ahead?ICATS has a very promising future.It’s an “industrial driven” institutionwhich focus in developing competenceworkforce for the need of the investingcompany in Sarawak, especially inthe area of “emerging technologies”.“Future technologies” are the keyresearch area that ICATS will give moreattention of its way forward.Personally, how have yougained from managing theinstitution from a small schoolto a major player today in termsof professional achievement andfamily commitment?It was a great experience for me,Pusat Pembangunan KemahiranSarawak (PPKS), the parent companyof ICATS, was formed in 1994. I joinedPPKS in June 1998 and ICATS wasformed in year 2002. Prior to that, I wasat Kuching Polytechnic. We begin withonly 8 staff, 3 classrooms, 2 traininglaboratory and 3 training programs,which can accommodate about 60students. Today PPKS and ICATS haveabout 3,200 students, which totalled 80over training programs and 4 brancheswith a yearly turn over between RM18to RM20 million.

FILMPREVIEWTEL: 6 082 234 077Movie & EtcTuesday | Ladies Day, Ticket only RM6 Wednesday | Movie Day, Ticket only RM5(not applicable for male and public holiday)(not applicable for movie marked (“) and public holiday)*All booked tickets must be collected 45 min before show times.THE EXPENDABLES 2Genre: Action/Adventure Rated: PG-13 Director: SimonWest Stars: Sylvester Sl Stallone, Liam Hemsworth, RandyCouture, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jet LiSynopsis: Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for whatshould be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men ismurdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep inenemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.THE AMAZING SPIDER-MANGenre: e: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Adaptation Rated:PG-13 Director: Marc Webb Stars: Andrew Garfield, EmmaStone, Rhys Ifans, Sally Field, Martin Sheen, Denis LearySynopsis: Peter Parker, an outcast high schooler who wasabandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raisedby his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Like most teenagers, Peter istrying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the personhe is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first highschool crush, Gwen Stacy, and together, they struggle withlove, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysteriousbriefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest tounderstand his parents’ disappearance...JULY2012SEAUGUST2012SEPT2012RESIDENT EVIL:AFTERLIFE 3DGenre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Thriller Rated:PG-13Director: Paul W.S. WS Anderson Stars:Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Boris Kodjoe, ColinSalmon, Michelle RodriguezSynopsis: The Umbrella Corporation’s deadlyT-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transformingthe global population into legions of the flesheating Undead. The human race’s last and onlyhope, Alice (Milla Jovovich), awakens in the heartof Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facilityand unveils more of her mysterious past as shedelves further into the complex. Without a safehaven, Alice continues to hunt those responsiblefor the outbreak... BB DEAL1 MbpsRM110/monthFREEWFREEFREEFREE 10sen/min BB DEAL2 MbpsRM130/monthFREEWFREEFREEFREE 10sen/min BB DEAL4 MbpsRM140/monthFREEWFREEFREEFREE 10sen/min Zero entry cost (No installation & activation fees) until further notice Voice Deal 48RM48/monthFREEFREE12sen/minVoice Deal 68RM68/monthFREEFREE10sen/minFREETerms and Conditions applywww.tm.com.my | Call 100 | Visit TMpoint/TM Authorised Resellers TM TM TM TM TM . TM . Jul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 71

BT–CSRIf you have never been paintedbefore, that is your portrait, thencome and see how the artistssketch you in their eyes. Unlikephotos which can be ‘doctored’these paintings reflect the truespirit of a person’s picture of you;something which you will andcan be surprised by! Adorn yourhomes with paintings and artisticwoodwork by local artists.72 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012Women folks are definitely goingto go gaga over the wide choicesof food available. You can sit,relax and enjoy the varieties ofgood wholesome food availableand at the same time beentertained by the live music.AMC Charity Cookout withChef Andrew Kow at 2:30pm.Book your space now at WECare Fest. Lucky draws, free gifts, freecooking lessons and recipes awaits you.A minimal fee exchangeable with WECare Fest coupons will be charged.Andrew Kow has over 20 years ofexperience in baking and cooking aswell as years of experience in researchand development in food catering.He has travelled extensively to Taiwanand Hong Kong and explore the F&Bindustry to improve his culinary skills.He is well-versed in Southeast Asianand Western cusines as well as adept inbaking and Kuih preparation.

BT–CSRMalaysians are well known for their generosity and BreakthroughNetwork Centre Berhad is calling for everyone to come out andsupport “We Care Fest” on Saturday 14 th July 2012 in Kuchingfrom 7:00 am – 4:00 pm. To be held at the Ecumenical Centre, JalanStampin, Kuching. Aptly themed, LOVE, TOUCH & INSPIRE, this will be anevent where the community with a heart of compassion gather together toraise funds to provide that ray of HOPE to the needy and the marginalizedin Kuching. A day of fun activities, which includes home-cooked and bestof hawker food, housing exhibitions, classic cars exhibition, indoor andoutdoor games, banking, beauty products, haircuts, photography andportrait paintings as well as magic shows, AMC Charity Cookout, balloonsmaking for children and also live band and musical performances!Come and join in the fun of“We Care Fest” and make itan unforgettable day for thefamily. It is an opportunity tomeet new friends, see newthings and learn new skillswhile enriching your spirittoo with your generosity.Remember,14 th July 2012 at theEcumenical Centre, JalanStampin, Kuching from7:00am to 4:00pm thefestival that needs yoursupport for a good cause!Organised by:For further enquiries, contributions anddonations please contact us or email us atCheck out the range of houseson exhibit with good offers andfor sale. Young couples intendingto purchase new houses shouldtalk to the experts at the variousexhibitions.Bring back memorable picturestaken with the lovely dogs andclassic cars on displayed or evenwith your friends or any otherattractions by our professionalphotographers. A minimal feeis charged and pictures can beinstantly printed by Fuji Xeroxprinter and framed to bringhome ready to hang or display.The young children will get theirshare of fun with creativeballoons making lessonsconducted by expert at10am. So make sure you arethere at that time to learn thetechnique to make ‘creatures’ fromthose pumped up rubber tubes. Aminimal fee exchangeable with WECare Fest coupons will be charged.Young people and teens willnaturally gyrate towards the livebands performances, as theyadore these music expressions.There are also the indoor andoutdoor games stalls for theyoungsters.BREAKTHROUGHNETWORK CENTRE BHD,P1-3-1(A). Chonglin park, 93100 Kuching,Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 427478Email: admin@breakthrough.org.myWebsite: www.breakthrough.org.mySupported by:Bumi Serasi Utraco Construction Sdn Bhd TenagaSeri Wangsa Imperco Sdn Bhd Juru Servei Konsult Yoojin Industries Sdn Bhd Fest Events SeeHua Daily News The Borneo Post AMC AlliedMetalcraft Corp. Sdn Bhd Chicken House AromaCafé Bukit Mata Seafood The Banquet ScoopsGelato Hong Kong Pau Café Sdn Bhd Leaves Aloha Bakery Taka Bakery Secret Recipe Grandma Bak Kut Tei Merdeka Palace Hotel andSuites Pullman Hotels and Resort Hilton Hotel Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd RHB Bank Maybank Maxtrack (Kch) Sdn Bhd Optometry Eyecare The Hair Shop De Jackie Inspirations MaestroMusic School Catholic Welfare Services Chin DawMethodist Church Chin Kwong Methodist Church Faith Methodist Church Sg. Maong MethodistChurch Tabuan Jaya Anglican Church HopeChurch Emmanuel Baptist ChurchJul-Sept2012BorneoTalk | 73

MusicMusic is the art of loveand nourishment for ourmind and soul. It moldsan individual’s personality buildingself-confidence, perseverance anddetermination, as proven by thefounder of Maestro Music School,Music Director, Jennifer Eng.Experienced and passionate MusicDirector Jennifer has composed,recorded and tailored her programmecalled the Maestro Talent Method(MTM) and has groomed thousands ofstudents of all ages all over Malaysiaas well as overseas. The MTM hassuccessfully groomed thousands oftalented students which has impressedand “melts hearts” all over Sarawakespecially Kuching.Maestro’s mission is to nurture moreyoung talents of Sarawak and to createawareness and opportunities for themusic industry. Maestro’s vision is tobuild and cultivate self-confidence ofeach individual through music. Majorityof her students have had performed inmajor functions like weddings, productlaunching, expos and many otherfestive celebrations.Maestro organised its first violincompetition with renownedinternational artist from Milan,Antonella Alaigo Hayes andextraordinaire Jazz internationalperformer, Asif Pishori in Kuching in2009. Maestro’s charity concert, byMaestro’s Talent Education was alsoheld thereafter which saw many whocame from Singapore, Indonesia,China, Philippines and Australia.Maestro Music TeamOrgan/KeyboardDealership for New &Useb PianoMaestroMusic SchoolIt takes more than talent to succeed;you need passion and commitmentwith Maestro Talent MethodJohnessa (8 years old)Johnessa is able to play thesong “Moon Represents MyHeart” by the famous lateartist, Teresa Teng.Natasia Ting (10 years old)Natasia can perform “RightHere Waiting” by RichardMarx. Just in 3 sessionsof intensive training, shemanaged to memorise the song.Raziq (11 years old)Raziq can memorise andperform “Lu Xiao Yu” fromthe movie “Secret” starringJay Chou.Marcus Ting (11 years old)Marcus is able to imitate andperform songs by modernartist Greyson Chance.Cyena (12 years old)Cyena has performed atvarious functions suchas weddings, Christmascelebrations at SarawakClub, Sarawak Golf Club and The SpringShopping Mall, the official launching of TheStar Publications and also Sarbex Expo. Herfavourites are contemporary modern musicand songs by Richard Clayderman andTaylor Swift.Please call the person in chargeStephanie Ting / Jennifer Eng. at+6012 875 0880 / +6010 975 0391Stephanie Ting (14 years old)Stephanie is the mostpromising performer/musician and her talentsenable her to compose andrearrange any songs that she desires to play.Her repertoires are a mixture of modern,contemporary and also classical pieces. Shehas been performing throughout Sarawakand is also a pianist for her school. Herfavourites are by Greyson Chance, JustinBieber, Bruno Mars, David Archuleta, KatyPerry, Taylor Swift, Yiruma, John Schmidt,Sterling Knight and also English boy band,One Direction.Al’leena (15 years old)Surprisingly, Al’leena builtup her interest in musicwithin 2 months underthe supervision of musicdirector, Jennifer Eng. Although she has beenjoining other music schools for over 8 years,she has never been exposed to performinglive onstage. Under the direct supervisionof Jennifer, she has been able to performin front of audiences and overcome stagefright. Her impressive performances hasmelted the hearts of many people and herrepertoires have convinced her mother andolder sister to take up lessons from Jennifer.Amalina (19 years old)Amalina can master songsby Beethoven, Richard Marx,Kenny G and also songs fromthe Korean drama “WinterSonata” in less than 2 months. The standardof songs that she plays are equivalent to 3-4years of traditional piano learning. Techniquesand expressions are vital as it has always beenemphasized by Jennifer.by Stephanie TingFor more information, please contactMAESTRO MUSIC SCHOOLP4-G-4 (B) Chonglin Park, Jalan Tabuan,Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.HP: +6012 875 0880Email: maestromusickch@gmail.com74 | BorneoTalkJul-Sept2012