Latest news with #Borneo
The Guardian
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Savages review – indigenous teen and baby orangutan take on developers in Borneo
Claude Barras is the Swiss animator whose 2016 debut My Life As a Courgette was a wonderfully tender study of childhood which won hearts (and an Oscar nomination). His followup is a likable, admirably intentioned if slightly more predictable entertainment, in which the good guys and the bad guys are more obvious. Again it is a stop-motion animation, now set in Borneo's rainforest, threatened by commercial exploitation and destruction. Kéria (voiced by Babette De Coster) is a teenage girl living on the edge of this rich and beautiful wilderness, with her widower dad (Benoît Poelvoorde), who is glumly employed by one of the palm-oil plantations that is eroding it. Kéria is partly of indigenous Penan heritage, and is irritated when her Penan cousin Selaï (Martin Verset) comes to stay after his home village is wiped out. Together they get lost in the forest with a baby orangutan called Oshi which Kéria and her dad rescued when the evil planters shot its mother. Their adventures take them to the truth about Kéria's dad and her late mother, to her Penan heritage and to a fateful confrontation with the plantation officials, who are swaggering, gun-toting bullies. Kéria and the tribespeople courageously face down these people with their blow-pipes containing unpoisoned darts (the cringing company cowards, fearing for their lives, soon lose their nerve). However, the campaign website about the Borneo rainforest which accompanies this film notably does not actually advocate direct action of this sort. Savages is in UK and Irish cinemas from 1 August
The Guardian
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Savages review – indigenous teen and baby orangutan take on developers in Borneo
Claude Barras is the Swiss animator whose 2016 debut My Life As a Courgette was a wonderfully tender study of childhood which won hearts (and an Oscar nomination). His followup is a likable, admirably intentioned if slightly more predictable entertainment, in which the good guys and the bad guys are more obvious. Again it is a stop-motion animation, now set in Borneo's rainforest, threatened by commercial exploitation and destruction. Kéria (voiced by Babette De Coster) is a teenage girl living on the edge of this rich and beautiful wilderness, with her widower dad (Benoît Poelvoorde), who is glumly employed by one of the palm-oil plantations that is eroding it. Kéria is partly of indigenous Penan heritage, and is irritated when her Penan cousin Selaï (Martin Verset) comes to stay after his home village is wiped out. Together they get lost in the forest with a baby orangutan called Oshi which Kéria and her dad rescued when the evil planters shot its mother. Their adventures take them to the truth about Kéria's dad and her late mother, to her Penan heritage and to a fateful confrontation with the plantation officials, who are swaggering, gun-toting bullies. Kéria and the tribespeople courageously face down these people with their blow-pipes containing unpoisoned darts (the cringing company cowards, fearing for their lives, soon lose their nerve). However, the campaign website about the Borneo rainforest which accompanies this film notably does not actually advocate direct action of this sort. Savages is in UK and Irish cinemas from 1 August
Malay Mail
17 hours ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Protect children's health, keep activities indoors, Sarawak minister tells schools
KUCHING, July 29 — Schools in Sarawak have been advised to reduce outdoor activities to avoid the risk of students developing health issues related to the ongoing haze and hot weather conditions. State Women, Children and Community Wellbeing Minister (KPWK) Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that if there is a need to conduct extracurricular activities involving students, they should be held indoors to avoid exposure to the unhealthy air quality. 'It is common practice during hazy conditions to avoid outdoor activities. The current air quality is not safe due to the haze,' she told reporters after the Petronas Empowering Knowledge 2025 Education Sponsorship Award ceremony today. She emphasised that co-curricular and sports programmes should preferably be conducted indoors, particularly to safeguard students who suffer from respiratory conditions such as asthma. She advised the public, especially schoolchildren, to resume the use of face masks as a preventive measure against the adverse effects of the haze. 'Children with asthma need special attention, and we strongly encourage them to wear face masks as a precaution,' she said. She added that schools have been instructed to continuously monitor the Air Pollution Index (API) readings and take appropriate action based on the latest data. Meanwhile, it is reported that air quality in Sarawak remained at moderate levels across all 18 monitoring stations this morning, according to the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB). As of 8 am, Lundu recorded the highest API reading at 88, up from 79 at 4 pm yesterday. Kuching maintained a reading of 74, unchanged from the same time the previous day. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah BN leader sees ‘Anwar factor' behind GRS pact with PH
Sabah Barisan Nasional treasurer Salleh Said Keruak said GRS's decision to work with PH must be respected. (Wikipedia pic) PETALING JAYA : Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) may have chosen to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) at the upcoming state polls as the coalition is headed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, says former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak. The Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) treasurer said GRS, the state's ruling coalition, might want to ensure strong ties with the federal government. 'This aligns with the need to ensure political stability and continued development for Sabah,' he said in a Facebook post. While BN and PH are partners in the unity government at the federal level, BN sits in the opposition in the Sabah legislative assembly. GRS chairman Hajiji Noor said yesterday that his coalition would form an alliance with PH for the upcoming state polls. PH had previously agreed to an electoral pact for the state election with BN. Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar Radin said the coalition would not work with GRS in the state election, and would only consider cooperation after the outcome of the election. Salleh nevertheless said that GRS's decision to work with PH must be respected. 'Undoubtedly, they have their own reasons, and the people will be the judge,' he said. He added that BN had decided to work with PH as the two coalitions were the foundation of the unity government at the federal level. He said cooperation between the two was a 'logical and responsible continuation of that partnership'. 'How PH manages its cooperation with both BN and GRS is not our concern. What matters to us in BN is sincerity in partnership, and our focus remains on strengthening our party on the ground,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Federal leader's insult pushed GRS into unity govt, says Hajiji
GRS chairman Hajiji Noor said many of Sabah's demands were approved by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whereas previous leaders found difficulty in devolving power to the state. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A federal leader's disdain for the proposed 'Borneo Bloc' political cooperation led Gabungan Rakyat Sabah into supporting Anwar Ibrahim's formation of the unity government after the 2022 general election, GRS chairman Hajiji Noor said today. Speaking at the annual convention of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, he said a former federal leader, whom he did not name, had dismissed the idea of Bornean cooperation. 'I was with Masidi Manjun and Jeffrey Kitingan in a meeting with a big leader over there (in Peninsular Malaysia) at the time. The person said they were the masters. He did not like the Borneo Bloc. He did not want us to share our experiences and stories with our neighbouring state of Sarawak,' he said. 'I was shocked by his words. I thought about them for a long time. What did they mean? What was his intent? As I thought about it, I lost heart (tawar hati) in these people,' he said in a video of his speech published on Facebook by Sabah Media. Hajiji said it was after much thought that he finally decided that GRS would support the unity government being formed by Anwar. Since then, he said Anwar's government 'has listened to our voices, and we have been treated well', and reiterated that GRS remained in support of the prime minister. Hajiji said many of Sabah's demands under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 were approved by Anwar, as opposed to previous leaders who found difficulty in devolving power to the state. 'So what are we hoping for? If the unity government is good for our state, why shouldn't we support it?' he said. In March, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said the unity government had successfully resolved nine key claims related to MA63, including power to regulate gas supply in Sabah, the administration of the judiciary in Sabah and Sarawak, and guidelines on land reserved for federal purposes in the two states.
