NEWS & UPDATES

KUCHING, 24 AUGUST, 2018, FRIDAY: Some 1,200 students from two primary schools and one secondary school in Sungai Asap, Belaga district were part of an occupational safety and health awareness programme recently. 

Organised by Sarawak Energy at SMK Bakun, the programme was held in collaboration with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Bintulu, Belaga District Education Department and SMK Bakun. 

One of Sarawak Energy’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for neighbouring communities at major facilities in rural areas, the one- day event is intended to improve safety and health awareness among young people. The students were also given an insight on career prospects in occupational safety and health. 

The programme itinerary was conducted in a fun-filled manner to maintain the interest of the young participants. Stephanie Livan, 14, from SMK Bakun described it as an interesting experience and that she and her friends had no difficulty understanding the topics presented by the speaker. 

Speaking at the event, Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon lauded Sarawak Energy’s efforts to instil safety and health awareness among the young people of the area. 

Also present at the event were Sarawak Energy’s General Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Jiwari Abdullah, NIOSH Bintulu Regional Manager Mohamad Anizan bin Mohammed, Belaga Education Officer Jalong Wan, headmasters and community leaders. 

In his welcoming speech, Jiwari said the programme was among the CSR activities and engagement initiatives for the people in Bakun Resettlement area following Sarawak Energy’s acquisition of Bakun Hydroelectric Plant last year. 

“Through this programme, we aim to inculcate greater awareness on the importance of occupational safety and health for basic life-saving knowledge which the students can also share with their families,” Jiwari said. 

Sarawak Energy supports the development of education and youth in the Belaga area through partnerships with District Education Office of Belaga and schools in Belaga by organising and supporting programmes and initiatives for primary and secondary schools. This include academic enhancement programmes to strengthen student’s proficiency in core subjects, examination preparation workshops, provision of UPSR and SPM incentives, distributing dictionaries to secondary school students, 'Jom Masuk U' programme with Kelab Belia Belaga and financial aid for the improvement of school amenities. 

Sarawak Energy regularly holds awareness sessions on fire safety among the villages in Belaga, inaugurating Fire Safety Awareness and Prevention Programme for 15 longhouses in the Bakun Resettlement area in Sungai Asap and Apau Koyan last year. The programme was organised inpartnership with Fire and Rescue Department (BOMBA) Bintulu Zone. The corporation also contributed fire extinguishers and firefighting equipment to some of the longhouses. 

This year, Sarawak Energy will carry out land levelling works for the expansion of Uma Kelep longhouse and the communal cemetery. This on-going project will eventually cover all 15 longhouses and communal cemeteries in Sungai Asap resettlement which was established 1997. 

Sarawak Energy also provides annual support to the community representative groups like the Peng Maren-Maren Uma, Belaga Action Community (BAC) and Balui Lake Native Association (BLNA) as part of its community development programme.  In addition, Sarawak Energy also supported local events namely the Belaga Regatta in Belaga district, Apau Koyan Festival in Sungai Asap, Do’ Ledoh (Kayan community) and Lepa Ajau (Kenyah community). 

Sarawak Energy has pledged their commitment to a meaningful collaboration with the Bakun communities towards building a long term partnership for the well-being of the community in achieving sustainable development at large. 

Students from SMK Bakun, SMK Long Gang and SK Batu Keling together with teachers, community leaders and representatives from Sarawak Energy, NIOSH Bintulu and PPD Belaga posing for a group photograph. 

The fun-filled event allowed the students to interact freely with NIOSH speaker during the programme.

Students attentively taking down important notes during the programme.