logo
Sarawak to enhance journalists' expertise with international training initiative, says Premier

Sarawak to enhance journalists' expertise with international training initiative, says Premier

Borneo Post29-05-2025

Abang Johari speaks to the media after officiating at the Asia Carbon Conference 2025 today. – Ukas photo
KUCHING (May 29): The Sarawak government is set to send state journalists abroad to participate in journalism-related programmes aimed at enhancing their expertise to match international standards, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
'I have instructed together with (Deputy Minister in Sarawak Premier's Department (Corporate Affairs and Sarawak Public Communications Unit)) Datuk Abdullah Saidol to start this programme for the future of Sarawak journalism,' he said when met by reporters after officiating at the Asia Carbon Conference 2025 today.
Abang Johari explained that this programme is not just an opportunity for free education, but a long-term investment to elevate the professionalism and critical thinking skills of journalists in the state.
'We will work with the journalists' association to assess eligible candidates, including in terms of qualifications and background,' he said.
He also stressed the importance of journalists who are not only skilled in reporting but also possess vision and insightful ideas to drive innovation within the media industry.
'I hope this program can improve the quality of reporting and open up more space for innovation in journalism,' he said.
This initiative is a continuation of the government's commitment made last year.
It was well received by the media practitioners present, and was considered as a recognition of the important role of journalists in the development of society and the country. abang johari abroad international training journalists media

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

RM5.68 mln S'wak Infra hall project faces delay, ministry steps up monitoring
RM5.68 mln S'wak Infra hall project faces delay, ministry steps up monitoring

Borneo Post

time9 hours ago

  • Borneo Post

RM5.68 mln S'wak Infra hall project faces delay, ministry steps up monitoring

Rubiah (fourth right) during the on-site briefing. – Ukas photo KUCHING (June 6): Construction of the multi-purpose hall at the Sarawak branch of the Institute for Rural Advancement (Infra) is currently at 60 per cent completion, which is significantly behind its target of 83 per cent. According to the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) report, the RM5.68 million project is being closely monitored following the delay, with efforts underway to ensure it is delivered according to schedule. Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Rubiah Wang, visited the site recently to assess the situation and receive an on-site briefing from project stakeholders. Implemented by Mindagang Resources Sdn Bhd and supervised by the Special Project Team 2 of the Public Works Department (JKR) Malaysia, the project, which started on December 20, 2023, was initially expected to be completed by August 19 this year. But with just over a year remaining before the new targeted completion date, Rubiah said her ministry is expected to intensify monitoring efforts to address any further delays and bring the project back on track. 'We want every sen spent to bring direct benefit to the people, not just building structures, but creating inclusive and conducive spaces for rural community development,' she said. Among the key facilities being built under the project are a main hall, badminton court, male and female prayer rooms, changing areas, an AV room, lobby, stage, switch room, accessible toilets, and ablution areas. Rubiah said the site visit demonstrated the ministry's commitment to ensuring rural infrastructure projects proceed according to standards and deliver value to local communities. Infra multi-purpose hall project delay Rubiah Wang

Sarawak on track to develop energy hubs
Sarawak on track to develop energy hubs

The Star

time5 days ago

  • The Star

Sarawak on track to develop energy hubs

KUCHING: Sarawak is developing four strategic energy hubs which are projected to unlock investment opportunities worth between RM350bil and RM430bil, says Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (pic). He said these are the renewable energy hub, natural gas hub, hydrogen hub and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) hub. 'Each of these hubs plays a complementary role, working together towards a common and critical objective, ensuring energy security for Sarawak, today and for generations to come. 'Additionally, the Sarawak government will introduce a suite of comprehensive and forward-looking policies, including Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Roadmap, Sarawak Sustainability Blueprint, Sarawak Energy Transition Policy and Sarawak Energy Efficiency Roadmap,' added Abang Johari in the Sarawak state assembly. He expects the energy hubs to create some 44,000 new high-value jobs for Sarawakians, adding that these jobs will be generated by new industries, which can boost opportunities for local small and medium enterprises, attract domestic and foreign direct investments and strengthen Sarawak's regional and global competitiveness. Saying that Sarawak's journey towards becoming a global leader in green energy is gaining strong international momentum, Abang Johari said the recent maiden export of methanol to China from Bintulu and the launch of green methanol project by state-owned Sarawak PetChem Sdn Bhd had sent clear signals that Sarawak is moving up the clean energy value chain. 'As part of our ongoing low-carbon transition, we are also advancing infrastructure that support cleaner energy systems, including the development of hydrogen-ready technologies, such as our combined cycle gas turbine facility.' He said these initiatives aim to boost energy efficiency, strengthen power security and open potential interconnections with neighbouring regions, such as Sabah and Brunei. 'These efforts have not gone unnoticed. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recognised Sarawak's leadership in this transition. 'Bintulu has been nominated as Malaysia's first candidate for the WEF Transitioning Industrial Cluster (TIC), a reflection of WEF's confidence in our ability to balance industrial growth with sustainability. 'As we engage key players in Bintulu and Samalaju (where energy-intensive industries are operating) to formalise our TIC Statement of Ambition, we are not just preparing for recognition in Davos early next year. 'We are laying the foundation for Sarawak to stand among global leaders in shaping the low-carbon industrial future,' he added. TIC are geographic areas where co-located businesses and industries collaborate to transition from traditional practices to cleaner, low-carbon operations aligned with net-zero goals. To-date, 35 industrial clusters have signed on to the initiative and they include Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Ohio Clean Hydrogen Hub Alliance in the United States and the Kawasaki Carbon Neutral Complex in Japan. The premier has been invited to share Sarawak's green energy ambitions at the WEF annual meeting of the new champions in Tianjin, China, on June 26. Abang Johari said in view of Sarawak's growing role in the global energy sector, he had directed state-owned Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) to undertake a review and restructure its organisational framework. This involves the separation of power generation and distribution, where power generation will involve investments from the private sector. SEB will continue its function as the single buyer for electricity distribution in Sarawak. 'We have already seen a strong interest from private sector players in implementing large-scale solar and other renewable projects, such as bio-energy and waste-to-energy initiatives. 'The development of new renewable energy sources through the independent power producer model is central to Sarawak's ambition of achieving 10GW of total installed capacity by 2030 and 15GW by 2035. 'Under the upcoming Sarawak Energy Transition Policy, we have set a target for renewables to make up at least 60% to 70% by 2025,' he added. Abang Johari said the restructuring of the SEB is key to ensuring the utility body is fully able to drive Sarawak's vision of becoming both a 'Battery of Asean' and a renewable energy powerhouse. On the state's ambition to establish an aerospace hub, he said a Sarawak-Airbus joint task force will be set up to formulate a roadmap for the development of the state's aerospace industry, involving expertise from both parties. During his recent visit to Airbus' headquarters in France, Abang Johari said the aerospace company is supportive of Sarawak's ambitions and had proposed the Airbus-Sarawak Kenyalang Strategic Partnership Avenues, which will cover six key areas. These are paths towards sustainable aviation fuel production; human capital development; industrial ecosystem development; digital airline journey; Airbus consulting project for Air Borneo; and airspace operation. Also discussed was the development of an aerotropolis in Sarawak, which will include the new Kuching International Airport. The new airport, which is targeted to accommodate more than 15 million passengers annually, will embody modern, green architectural principles and be equipped with cutting-edge systems to ensure a seamless passenger journey, from check-in to boarding. 'The development of our new international airport and deep seaport in Kuching will involve private sector investments and not only be funded by the Sarawak government. 'There has been expression of interest by the private sector, local multi-national and international corporations to spearhead the projects,' said Abang Johari.

Sarawak approves effort to boost bilingual proficiency
Sarawak approves effort to boost bilingual proficiency

The Star

time5 days ago

  • The Star

Sarawak approves effort to boost bilingual proficiency

KUCHING: The Sarawak Government will begin implementing a standardised assessment for the Dual Language Programme (DLP) based on international standards of Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A) for Year Six students in October. Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that the Education Ministry has granted approval for the Sarawak education, innovation and talent development ministry (MEITD) to collaborate with Cambridge University to roll out the initiative. 'This DLP programme will be reviewed and validated by Cambridge University Press and Assessment to ensure its implementation aligns with international standards,' he said in a statement issued by the Sarawak Public Communications Unit yesterday. The announcement follows the signing of a service contract between CUP&A and Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) in Cambridge on Wednesday. The event was part of the premier's working visit to the United Kingdom, which began on Tuesday. Jane Mann, managing director of Partnerships for Education at CUP&A, represented the Cambridge side, while SWIM was represented by its chief executive officer George Ngui, Bernama reported. According to Abang Johari, the programme would follow the national curriculum utilising Bahasa Malaysia as the primary medium, while English would serve as the secondary medium for assessment based on Cambridge's international syllabus. Swinburne University, a strategic partner in the initiative, would work alongside Cambridge to implement the assessments in Sarawak. 'This initiative aims to produce students proficient in both languages, thereby equipping them to pursue higher education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics,' he added. The premier also noted that MEITD is collaborating with Cambridge University to develop a range of high-quality bilingual programmes and scholarship opportunities to allow Sarawakian students to pursue studies in emerging strategic economic sectors. He added that both parties had agreed to facilitate the placement of qualified Sarawakian students from international school systems in world-renowned institutions, including the University of Cambridge, Oxford and the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom, as well as Harvard University in the United States. 'Sarawak is targeting a special quota of 10 placements for outstanding students in selected fields,' Abang Johari added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store