3rd Note

As I was reading a pullout from a newspaper today, I noticed that half of it was filled with advertisements and the other half, with reviews on IT products and services. I browsed through the latest prices for laptops, computer parts and all the snippets on the latest technologies offered by international and local service providers. How time flies, I said to myself with all these hard-to-keep-up-with technologies that keep on emerging every single day. This hip scenario is a far cry from what we... (more...)

LET’S sit and imagine this – you have just graduated and you’re in job-hunting mode. You applied for a job and then there you got it! But wait, you have no idea how your workplace is going to be and what awaits you.Suddenly you are lost and become clueless in a sea of work, your employer’s expectations, your colleagues’ expectations and your own as well. The initial expectations were perhaps just a matter of getting experience. However, most graduates would be rather... (more...)

THE United Nations Children’s Fund or Unicef champions the protection of children’s rights by drawing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Its paramount challenge is to continue on the achieved progress in which they strengthen their outreach to children who are still being denied their rights to survival, development, education, gender equality protection and participation.Although the Convention has been in existence for more than 20 years, Unicef reported that children’s... (more...)

While it is frightening that the crime rate in Sarawak has increased over the years, it is heartening to know that the State Government and relevant authorities (especially the Police) are looking into ways to fight crime and reduce its rate. The path to success is not straight and unending. We are dealing with the “underworld”, with people who are either pushed to crime by forces beyond their control – forces from within and from without – or people whose consciences are... (more...)

I was fortunate to be able to accompany a good friend of mine to an innovation competition held in one of the local universities recently in Selangor. In that competition, she won the Gold Medal in the Innovation Category. Out of some 400 participants, there were also some others who won the diamond, gold, silver and bronze medals as well. She received some extraordinary reviews on her innovative product from the judges, who were from the industry itself. One of the judges said that she was puzzled... (more...)

By Maria Corazon M. Cortez Two weeks ago, this column published an article called A Cry for Attention” highlighting among other things, the challenges faced by today’s youth in getting their voices heard. The article mentioned a youth programme called YES – “Youth engaged and empowered to serve”, initiated by AZAM Sarawak as a way to provide an avenue for local youths to explore their positive attributes towards achieving their life’s goals. I can say that this is indeed one of the most... (more...)

by Sim Ah Hua A local Yang Berhormat, YB in her Facebook recently lamented on our youth – males and females, getting “high” in broad daylight at the Kuching Waterfront. Her posting received many comments and concerns, some of which mentioned that it is not a recent problem but that it has been happening for some time.  A number queried why the authorities have not done anything, while others replied that the authorities have tried but that the problem seems to persist. In a State Anti-Narcotics... (more...)

by Marcella Gider and Rosalind Yang M. OK. This is a youth talking. If you ain’t got no Facebook account, go live in a cave. With more than 200 million strong followers worldwide and still counting, Facebook has and continue to entice just about any men and women, old or young, working adults or even school children. Currently ranked as the leading social networking site, Facebook is a force to be reckoned with. What is so compelling about Facebook is its entertaining Features that offers everything... (more...)

By Marcella Gider Race and its meaning can be defined and interpreted in many ways than one. An online dictionary defines race as a local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics or in plain English, describes as a group of people who have the same culture, history, language, etc. But just like any other events that have been happening in our country lately, I suspect the word race has sneakily gone... (more...)

by Zabariah Haji Matali November – I love this time of the year.  It is a time to reflect and stocktake one’s professional and personal life.  Of course it is also a time to plan, anticipate and perhaps visualize the achievement and challenges that lie ahead. And I admit I am in my most introspective mode right now.  Well, almost. I attended a roundtable on the benefits and challenges of SCORE recently (organized by AZAM Sarawak) and I must say it really leaves me in one of those reflective... (more...)