NEWS & UPDATES

BINTULU, 31 MAY 2018, THURSDAY: Recognising hardwork and the accomplishment achieved in the recent Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sarawak Energy presented 25 high achievers from SMK Bakun and SMK Belaga with academic incentives as an encouragement to keep up the pace. Jiwari Abdullah, Sarawak Energy Assistant General Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, presented the incentives to these top achievers at SMK Bakun here recently. Also present were SMK Bakun principal Henry Usat Bit, SMK Belaga principal Usat Ibut, representative from Belaga District Education Office Dennis Hang Bilang, Deputy Station Manager for Bakun HEP Encharang Ngtingih and Senior Manager for Social Investment and Community Development Joanne Tan Cho Yian (陈楚燕). In his speech, Jiwari said, “The determination displayed by these students are commendable and we hope they will continue to inspire their schoolmates to also want to do better. This is also the result of the commitment and dedication of the teachers as well as support from parents and the community here in Belaga.” “Sarawak Energy understands the value of education as the pertinent building block to the success of a community, which is why Education and Young People makes up one of the pillars to our CSR efforts. We have rolled out a number of programmes in support of this such as talks on tertiary education opportunities, academic workshops for students sitting for examinations and skill training programmes for youth, among others.” Through direct engagement with the communities, Sarawak Energy has developed a suite of programmes that address the respective community needs. Sarawak Energy’s CSR initiatives and social investments focus on project affected communities and this encompasses communities in the Belaga District where the Bakun and Murum Hydroelectric Plants are located. The state-owned power utility and energy developer has even adopted SMK Bakun. Adding on, Henry said SMK Bakun would continue to work together with Sarawak Energy on programmes and initiatives that will bring benefits to the students.

“Our collaboration with Sarawak Energy is in line with the Education Ministry’s Program Transformasi Sekolah (TS25) which is to work closely with agencies and NGOs towards the development and enhancement of schools and students,” he said. Sarawak Energy also organised an educational trip to Bintulu for primary school students in Belaga in December last year and similar educational trips to Kuching for the students of SMK Bakun. Other activities include Fire Safety Awareness and Prevention Programmes for 15 longhouses in the Bakun Resettlement Area in Apau Koyan as well as contributing fire extinguishers and firefighting equipment to them last October. Sarawak Energy came to the aid of fire victims at Uma Badeng, Apau Koyan in June last year. Sarawak Energy also supports Do Ledoh and Ladong Bio harvest festivals – significant cultural events for the Kayan and Kenyah community in Belaga as well as sponsor a group of artisans from Belaga to participate in the Borneo International Beads Conference in October 2017.

From left: Sarawak Energy Senior Manager for Social Investment and Community Development Joanne Tan Cho Yian, Deputy Station Manager for Bakun HEP Encharang Ngtingih, SMK Belaga principal Usat Ibut, SMK Bakun principal Henry Usat Bit, Sarawak Energy Assistant General Manager for CSR and Sustainability Jiwari Abdullah and Belaga District Education Office Dennis Hang Bilang in a group photo with the high achievers from SMK Belaga and SMK Bakun.

Sarawak Energy also presented the schools with new dictionaries.