Latest news with #Katibas
Borneo Post
4 days ago
- Science
- Borneo Post
Katibas assemblyman highlights importance of STEM at engagement session
Lidam (front, sixth left) and SMK Song principal Azaman Hailee (front, fifth right) join the participating students in a group photo. KAPIT (Aug 16): The recent engagement session on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at Song Community Hall near here meant to highlight the importance of these subjects to the community there, especially the children. Katibas assemblyman Lidam Assan, who officiated at the opening ceremony, said the programme was among the initiatives to strengthen students' understanding in subjects related to STEM, so as to equip them in assimilating into the current and future trends and advancements in science and technology. The session was organised by the Song District Office, in collaboration with Song District Education Office. 'I like that this programme is sharing with our young participants various ideas and knowledge throughout the session. 'I believe that every level of society has an important role to play in fostering our youths' interest in STEM,' said Lidam in his speech. Meanwhile, political secretary to Works Minister Ambrose Abong Bugek said the programme served as an important platform to engage students so as to have them gain deeper understanding of STEM and also to develop the interest in these subjects. education lead Lidam Assan Song STEM
Malay Mail
12-07-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
From symbol to stump: Song's famed dabai tree sawn off in Kapit council's clean-up drive (VIDEO)
KAPIT, July 12 — What began as a moment of pride for Katibas state assemblyman Lidam Assan during his recent visit to Song has now turned into a symbol of collective disappointment for the community. On July 2, Lidam, a native of Nanga Tengadak in Katibas, paused in front of the Kong Ling Teng Tua Pek Kong Temple that fronts the Batang Rajang to capture a photograph of a tall, fruitless dabai tree, known locally as the Borneo olive (Canarium odontophyllum), and shared it proudly on Facebook. 'This is the Dabai tree from Song. It's not the season yet. One example of Song's dabai. Come here to taste it when the fruits arrive,' he wrote in a mix of Malay and Iban, referring to the fruit synonymous with the region's identity. To the people of Katibas, dabai is more than just a seasonal fruit. It represents culture, pride and a way of life with Song and nearby Ngemah, recognised by the Sarawak Ministry of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development as part of the state's strategic 'Dabai Belt' due to their premium-grade produce. However, just eight days later, the same tree that symbolised Song's agricultural identity was cut down by workers believed to be from the Kapit District Council, allegedly as part of a campaign to remove large trees from the town area. Lidam expressed his deep disappointment on Facebook: 'The problem is when you think Song town belongs to you alone. We nurtured this tree for years. Now it's gone forever. A symbol of the Dabai Belt for Song destroyed. The Kapit District Council irresponsibly chopped it down.' The move has since ignited emotional reactions from the community, with many expressing sorrow and disbelief that a tree held in such esteem could be removed without consultation. 'This is more than just a dabai tree. It's a landmark ... It served as an important feng shui tree beside the temple. Planted years ago by a late elder, this tree quietly watched over us and blessed the local community,' wrote Lim Margaret. She added that the tree carried with it 'faith, memory and reverence, a spiritual symbol we all share and cherish.' Fienbergson Wong, who now resides in Kuching, described the loss as 'a pity', noting that Song's reputation for dabai was partly anchored in such living icons. Others, like Unggit Awan, lamented the missed opportunity to preserve and showcase the tree. 'They could have spent a few thousand ringgit to decorate it, added a plaque with its history. It could've been a local attraction,' he said. Adding a note of irony, Alex Fred Diglin commented, 'They kept the man-made dabai icon by the waterfront and destroyed the real tree.' It is believed the tree was felled under an initiative to clear overgrown greenery in the town to prevent it from resembling a rural plantation. For Lidam, the loss goes beyond public landscaping. To him, the tree was part of Song's heritage, a natural emblem of its place in Sarawak's agricultural narrative. 'This should never have happened. That tree was more than a plant. It was part of Song's story, and our place in the Dabai Belt,' he said. — Bernama
Borneo Post
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Katibas rep calls for unified association to drive development, strengthen community voice in Sg Rassau, Btg Igan
(From left) Lau, Gerald, Lidam, and Romeo in a picture, taken at the Randau Pemansang Programme at Rumah Salim Unang, Sungai Rassau. SIBU (April 27): Residents in the Sungai Rassau and Batang Igan area have been encouraged to form a unified association to effectively channel development-related matters to the Sarawak government. In stating this, Katibas assemblyman Lidam Assan said the proposed association would serve a broader purpose than the current Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK) which typically represented individual longhouses. Instead, he said this association would represent all longhouses in the Rassau area collectively, allowing for more coordinated planning and communication. 'The Rassau area holds significant potential for agricultural development, particularly for rice cultivation or shrimp farming. 'All these plans, however, require the residents of Rassau to unite under the banner of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), to support the area's transformation,' he said in his speech during the 'Randau Pemansang' programme here on Friday. Organised by the JKKK of Rumah Salim Unang, Sungai Rassau, Batang Igan Tengah, the event was graced by Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu. Also present at the event was a political secretary to the Premier of Sarawak and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Bawang Assan branch chief Romeo Christopher Tegong and Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Bawang Assan branch chairman Councillor Kevin Lau. Lau highlighted the significance of the programme in disseminating accurate and timely information to the community, while also serving as a platform to reinforce unity across the diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Batang Igan lead Lidam Assan Sungai Rassau unified association
