Platform for entrepreneurship stakeholders

 

  

Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah West Coast Entrepreneur Network Association (SEA) launched its Sabah Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development Link (SeedLink) as a networking platform for entrepreneurship stakeholders to link up all members and available resources. 

SEA founder Darwin Tan said since the inception of SEA six months ago, the non-profit organisation currently has more than 200 affiliate members and 3,000 entrepreneur contacts.

"The difference between this organisation and any other chamber of commerce is that in this organisation we concentrate more on young people. If you look at the other chambers or organisations, they are linked up because of their ethnicities or beliefs.

"Here, everybody is welcome. We conduct trainings, share resources.

We are not here exactly to help everybody because we must confess, we do not know everything. But we sure know someone who knows how to answer the questions our members ask.

"So our job would be to link them up in order that they can help each other and, at the same time, increase our knowledge, too," he said at the SeedNite Mocktail, here.

More than 100 entrepreneurs, social leaders and other interested parties attended the event officiated by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai.

During the event, SEA also launched its fund-raising event for its SEED Vision and aimed to raise RM1 million fund to form SEED Foundation which could be an engine to fund Sabah entrepreneurship development programmes in the future.

In his brief speech, Dr Yee, who is also the Minister of Resource Development and Information Technology, praised the efforts and initiatives taken by SEA and was impressed by the fact that almost all who came to the event were young people.

"I would like to extend an invitation to all entrepreneurs to make full use of the facilities provided by the Government for your own benefit such as this building (Wisma Bandaraya) from the sixth floor up.

"We also have lined up various programmes and training for you in order to help you with your business as well as to help you expand your thinking and your philosophy. If you need any help, come to us.
We are here to assist you," he said.

SEED Project Director, Alvis Loo, said the project welcomes participation and sponsors from any individual, SME company and MNC in the country.

For further information about SeedLink and SEED Foundation, contact Membership Director Chong at 010-8026333 or Alvis at 017-3635890.

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Yee: Target to increase skilled workers to 50pc

Kota Kinabalu: National Dual Training System (SLDN) graduates were urged to continuously improve their skills and knowledge as the country needs highly skilled workers to progress and compete globally.

Deputy Chief Minister cum Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai said presently, skilled workers represent only 29 per cent of the country's workforce.

"We target to increase the number to 33 per cent by 2015 and 50 per cent by 2020," he said at the SLDN Sabah and Labuan Zone convocation ceremony in Suria Sabah, Saturday.

Yee said in line with the need under the Tenth Malaysia Plan, Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVT) should no longer be the second or last choice but the first choice as what had happened in developed countries such as Germany, Australia and Japan.

He said the SLDN approach has been proven to be successful and effective in helping school leavers, job seekers and existing workers to gain skills, develop their skills and improve their career potentials.

SLDN, which adopted good practices applied by Germany as reference, was in line with the Government's effort to empower its workforce to achieve a developed nation status, he said.

"The effort to increase workers' skills and competency needed cooperation from various parties. SLDN is the Government's effort to produce knowledgeable workers and increase the country's competitiveness at the international level," he said.

Meanwhile, Skills Development Department Director General Datuk Dr Pang Chau Leong, in his welcoming address, urged industry players to jointly with the government increase awareness and change the public's perspective as the acceptance of TEVT among students and parents was still poor.

He also said most of the graduates who received their certificates on Saturday have managed to secure good jobs in companies where they were trained, while others had started their own business or are furthering their studies.

His speech was delivered by his deputy Mohd Yazid Awalludin.

A total of 420 trainees, who completed their training in various fields under the SLDN programme, received their Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia during the convocation and it brought the number of apprentices awarded the certificates to 1,014 since the introduction of the programme in 2008.

SLDN is an industrial-oriented programme under the Skills Development Department of the Human Resources Ministry that combines training at vocational or technical institution with actual workplaces.

Also present were Resource Development and Information Technology Ministry permanent secretary Bruno Vun.

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Yee criticises satellite dish restriction again

KOTA KINABALU: Monopoly of access to satellite signals by a single body is ridiculous and the freedom of having such access curtailed by specific sizes of parabolic satellite is absurd.
Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, who pointed this out yesterday, reiterated the need to allow people to have access to satellite signals and he had conveyed the message to the Prime Minister.
“We have conveyed this very important yet unacceptable situation whereby people are not allowed to have (the access to) parabolic satellites based on absurd reasons,” said Yee.
He said that a website survey also found that a majority of the public wanted to have unrestrained access to satellite signals.
“The response is fantastic in a sense that there are many people who understand the importance of having the freedom of access to satellite signals that should not be curtailed by the parabolic size specifications, which I think is absurd to begin with.”
He added that the various available accesses to information should justify the excuse of lack of censorship for young viewers if free access to satellite signals is allowed.
“Nowadays the access to information can be obtained through many channels. Kids can even do it through the internet.
“Constraining access to satellite signals is an insult to the intelligence of the people in this country. It is stupid and should be stopped,” he said.
Yee also condemned a deputy minister from Sarawak who countered his earlier statement on the issue by saying that those who wish to own parabolic satellite should register for application.
“He simply came to Sabah saying that you can apply and that it’s only a matter of application and licensing issue. The thing is you cannot apply for license (for parabolic satellite), you will not be given a license.
“He is not fit to be the deputy minister and I think he should resign. He should go back to his own state (Sarawak), and look around and tell me how many parabolic users had actually applied, been granted license, and are using it. Until and unless he can give me an answer, he should shut up and resign,” he said to reporters after closing a three-day two-night computer camp for senior citizens at the Beringgis Beach Resort near here yesterday.
He applauded the programme, which benefited 60 senior citizens who were selected to take part in the camp which educated the elderly on information communication technology (ICT).
The programme, he said, is in line with the ministry’s goal to narrow the digital divide and to increase ICT awareness among the people of various background and age.
Meanwhile, Yee disclosed that broadband penetration in the state is only at 24 percent and while the facility set-up is one of the issues hindering a higher  penetration rate, there is also a need for people to realize the importance of better connectivity.

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Datuk Dr. Yee Moh Chai : “6G Welding course” in 2013

The Ministry of Resource Development and Information Technology will continue to empower Sabahans with ICT skills and knowledge in 2013, said its Minister Dr. Yee Moh Chai during his winding-up speech at the State Assembly on Thursday(25th Oct 2012).
Dr. Yee told the Dewan that the Ministry received a supply allocation of RM87.89 million and a development allocation of RM6.93 million in the 2013 budget. This allocation will be used for human capital development, tackling the unemployment problem, and bridging the digital gap between urban and rural areas.
To accelerate the development of human capital in Sabah, the Ministry will proceed to the second phase of the study on Sabah Manpower Planning Requirement 2010-2025. According to Dr. Yee, the objective of this study is to take human capital development to the next level to meet the manpower needs of the state. Other studies also conducted by the ministry include a survey to establish the extent to which the Ministry’s ICT and language classes are considered successful.
“My Ministry is committed to provide the catalyst and leadership for the development of human capital in Sabah,” Dr. Yee said.
In 2013, the Ministry will also conduct a “6G Welding course” at the Institute Latihan Perindustrian ILP in Papar. Successful trainees will receive an internationally recognized competency certificate awarded by a recognition body appointed by PETRONAS.
“The advantage that this certificate has is that it is recognized not only in Malaysia but also in Australia and Singapore,” he said.
The course will also open the door to an array of job opportunities in the oil and gas industry, according to Dr. Yee.
Unemployment is a long-standing issue in Sabah. To tackle this issue, Dr. Yee’s ministry will continue to organize the Youth Mentoring Day Programme, specifically targeting school leavers and job seekers in the state. This programme is intended to lead to job opportunities among youths and possibly also to various training courses in private and public higher education institutions.
The Ministry has organized this programme in seven districts, namely, Papar, Membakut, Tenom, Keningau, Ranau, Kudat and Kota Kinabalu with a total attendance of 1, 605 people this year. The ministry expects 2000 participants next year.
The Youth and Career Seminar is another programme designed to tackle unemployment in the state. It received favorable response from the public this year, with 574 attendees in 5 districts. The ministry will continue the same programme next year with a target attendance of 1, 000 people.
Dr. Yee also indicated that his Ministry would work together with the trade union and the Sabah employers’ associations to tackle issues relating to the implementation of minimum wage, extension of the retirement age and the welfare of workers generally.
The digital gap between urban and rural areas will continue to be a primary concern of the Ministry in 2013. It will conduct more advanced training and ICT courses, as well as continuing with the Creative Arama IT programme in all districts. According to Dr. Yee, in this regard his Ministry has also established 19 e-Desa Centres in its effort to bridge the digital divide. He said each e-Desa Centre is given the opportunity to hold activities and business enterprises that have bearing on the needs and circumstances of the area. As an example, the e-Desa in Tangkarason village, Paitan has established restaurants, swiftlet-farming centres and home-stay accommodation for visitors.

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440,00 hectares of damaged forests restored

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has restored 440,000 hectares of forests which include damaged and fragmented forests.
State Forestry director Datuk Sam Mannan said the restoration was over 10 years and it has been successful due to political stability.
“The projects involved a lot of money and people. We are giving the natives projects on commercial contract basis to culture the seeds, raising seedlings, replanting and so on.
“So indirectly if two individuals from a household work in the projects, they are literally out of poverty.
Also in the process, we managed to create ‘Kampong Towkeys’, the entrepreneurs who get the contracts, all they need are ‘parangs’ and hardworking people,” he told a press conference in conjunction with the International Conference on HOB yesterday.
Sam said that with the total investment of RM50 million on restoration projects alone, HOB managed to contribute in poverty eradication.
He said HOB is about sustainable development which encompasses every aspect of sustainability such as social, economic, and environmental sides of it.
According to him, cooperation from other parties like agriculture industries is needed for the programme to work effectively.
He said under HOB, logging activities which caused the most damage are being regulated by increasing the standard of practice with Reduced Impact Logging Harvesting technique.
“This started from zero to being compulsory for all naturally managed licensed areas in Sabah.
“The practice is not only the highest in Malaysia but the highest in the tropical world, and I’m not exaggerating on that,” he added.
Sam also commended the good commitments given by other partner countries namely Brunei and Indonesia which share the Island of Borneo.
He said although HOB is considered Sabah’s brainchild, Brunei and Indonesia especially with its vast area are very vital partners.
“We’ve been doing restoration works for many years, so when HOB came along, it fits nicely with what we’re doing. We work really with our partners by having trilateral meetings every year, we visit and learn from each other.
“I’d like to note WWF’s roles in providing expertise, coordinating the programmes and many more, so WWF is part of this programme,” said Sam.
HOB is a declaration signed by Borneo’s three countries Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, in commitment to conserve and manage the biodiversity, ecosystems, and natural resources within the HOB in a sustainable way.
Present at the press conference was Deputy Chief Minister, cum Minister of Resource Development and Information Technology, Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai.

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1.3 JUTA HEKTAR KAWASAN DI SABAH DILINDUNGI: KM

 



KOTA KINABALU: Kerajaan Negeri komited meneruskan amalan terbaik pengurusan dan pemuliharaan hutan di negeri ini melalui kerjasama erat dengan rakan kongsi dalam Heart of Borneo (HoB).
Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Musa Aman berkata, Heart of Borneo atau Nadi Borneo bertujuan memelihara dan mengurus ekosistem rentas sempadan membabitkan tiga negara Asean iaitu Malaysia, Indonesia dan Brunei Darussalam meliputi kawasan kira-kira 22 juta hektar.
Beliau berkata, Borneo adalah pulau ketiga terbesar di dunia yang kaya dengan biodiversity. Oleh itu saya berharap inisiatif HoB dapat menyokong usaha pemuliharaan hutan di negeri ini.
“Pelaksanaan inisiatif ini mengambil kira sensitiviti dan budaya tempatan dan berpegang teguh kepada dasar dan undang-undang sedia ada.
“Saya gembira melihat inisiatif HoB telah memupuk hubungan baik di kalangan agensi kerajaan dan rakan kongsi seperti Tabung Hidupan Liar Sedunia (WWF) Malaysia, Sime Darby Bhd, Majlis Minyak Sawit Malaysia, HSBC, New Forests Asia (Singapore) Pte.Ltd dan organisasi bukan kerajan seperti Land Environment Animal People (LEAP),” katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian dalam teks ucapannya pada majlis pelancaran Persidangan Antarabangsa “Heart of Borneo+5 and Beyond: Shaping And Nurturing Sabah’s Future Together”, di Magellan Sutera Resort, di sini, kelmarin.
Teks ucapannya disampaikan Timbalan Ketua Menteri Datuk Dr.Yee Moh Chai. Turut hadir bekas Perdana Menteri yang juga Penasihat Landskap Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi; Pengerusi Landskap Malaysia, Tun Jeanne Abdullah dan Pengarah Perhutanan Sabah Datuk Sam Mannan.
Musa berkata, sejak HoB dimulakan, banyak telah dicapai negeri ini. Di bawah Rancangan Malaysia ke-9 dan RMK-10, Jabatan Perhutanan Sabah menerima dana melalui Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar untuk menjalankan dokumentasi biodiversiti di beberapa hutan simpan terpilih dan asas kajian sosio komuniti setempat.
“Sehingga kini, 17 hutan simpan telah dikaji dan hasilnya diambil kira dalam penyediaan pelan pengurusan hutan yang menyumbang dengan ketara kepada amalan terbaik pengurusan hutan,” katanya.
Katanya, Kawasan Keseluruhan Terlindung (TPAS) di Sabah kini meliputi 1.3 juta hektar atau kira-kira 20 peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan tanah di negeri ini, melebihi piawaian 10 peratus Kesatuan Pelindungan Alam Semulajadi Antarabangsa (IUCN).
“Kawasan-kawasan yang dilindungi seperti Ulu Segama-Malay melibatkan kira-kira 240,000 hektar hutan simpan untuk pelindungan Orang Utan, kira-kira 150,000 hektar sebagai ekosistem hidupan liar, pemuliharaan Lembah Kinabatangan dan Tanah Lembap Segama kira-kira 79,000 hektar dan Trusmadi, Lembah Danum, Maliau Basin dan Imbak Kanyon,” katanya.
Selain itu katanya, di bawah HoB antara aktiviti utama berterusan Jabatan Hutan ialah penambahbaikan dalam pemantauan dan penguatkuasaan perlindungan hidupan liar, pembangunan infrastruktur dan peningkatan keupayaan pendidikan alam sekitar.
“Kita telah mengklasifikasikan semula kira-kira 180,000 hektar kawasan termasuk 54,000 hektar koridor hidupan liar menghubungkan Maliau Basin dan Imbak Kanyon ke Lembah Danum dan Ulu Segama dan 130,000 hektar Hutan Simpan Ulu Segama sebagai Hutan Simpan Kelas 1, yang dilindungi sepenuhnya,” katanya.
Musa berkata, dengan sokongan WWF Malaysia, kerajaan telah menggubal “Pelan Tindakan Strategik Sabah” pada 2009 yang mengandungi visi HoB.
“Program dan pelan tindakan itu termasuklah pengurusan sempadan, kawasan perlindungan dan sumber asli dan pembangunan ekopelancongan,” katanya.

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RM300 mln for youth development in 2013

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Government has set aside RM300 million in the 2013 state budget for implementation of various youth development programmes.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said state ministries which received funds from the allocation included Youth and Sports, Resource Development and Information Technology, and Agriculture and Food Industry.

“The allocation is aimed at helping youths progress through training and acquiring skills, among others,” he said at a blood donation campaign organised by the Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah Youth and Umno Sabah Puteri at Palm Square, Centre Point here yesterday.

Musa hoped youths in Sabah would not let themselves be hoodwinked by the opposition which claimed to fight for their interests but were actually, trying to score political mileage.

Meanwhile, the blood donation campaign themed, ‘A Drop of Blood means a Lot’, would be held for four months in 25 Umno divisions.

Present were Barisan Nasional Youth chairman Khairy Jamaluddin, Puteri Umno chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, Sabah Umno Youth Chief Datuk Awang Kadin Tang, PBS Youth chief Datuk Jahid Jahim and Barisan Nasional component party leaders.

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Youths in Sabah urged to volunteer in fight against dadah

5th November, 2012 KOTA KINABALU: The government wants young people in Sabah to play an active role in the fight against drugs by becoming volunteers or counsellors. Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai said they could assist in guiding their counterparts mixed up in drug problems, back to the path of recovery and mainstream society. “A healthy body, an active mind and a spirit of patriotism will produce a generation of progressive people who will uphold peace and harmony,” he said when launching the ‘1Malaysia For Youth’ (1M4U) programme and 1Malaysia Squad at the Padang Merdeka here, yesterday. The event was jointly organised by the Sabah National Anti-Dadah Agency, the Youth Movement of the United Sabah Chinese Communities Association and the Api-Api Assemblyman’s Office. About 5,000 youths in the state gathered at the 1Malaysia Squad and 1M4U programme that was held for the first time in Sabah yesterday with the theme, “We Want Peace, No Drugs Please”.

Read More : New Sabah Times

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Datuk Dr. Yee Moh Chai : “6G Welding course” in 2013

The Ministry of Resource Development and Information Technology will continue to empower Sabahans with ICT skills and knowledge in 2013, said its Minister Dr. Yee Moh Chai during his winding-up speech at the State Assembly on Thursday(25th Oct 2012). Dr. Yee told the Dewan that the Ministry received a supply allocation of RM87.89 million and a development allocation of RM6.93 million in the 2013 budget. This allocation will be used for human capital development, tackling the unemployment problem, and bridging the digital gap between urban and rural areas. To accelerate the development of human capital in Sabah, the Ministry will proceed to the second phase of the study on Sabah Manpower Planning Requirement 2010-2025. According to Dr. Yee, the objective of this study is to take human capital development to the next level to meet the manpower needs of the state. Other studies also conducted by the ministry include a survey to establish the extent to which the Ministry’s ICT and language classes are considered successful. “My Ministry is committed to provide the catalyst and leadership for the development of human capital in Sabah,” Dr. Yee said. In 2013, the Ministry will also conduct a “6G Welding course” at the Institute Latihan Perindustrian ILP in Papar. Successful trainees will receive an internationally recognized competency certificate awarded by a recognition body appointed by PETRONAS. “The advantage that this certificate has is that it is recognized not only in Malaysia but also in Australia and Singapore,” he said. The course will also open the door to an array of job opportunities in the oil and gas industry, according to Dr. Yee. Unemployment is a long-standing issue in Sabah. To tackle this issue, Dr. Yee’s ministry will continue to organize the Youth Mentoring Day Programme, specifically targeting school leavers and job seekers in the state. This programme is intended to lead to job opportunities among youths and possibly also to various training courses in private and public higher education institutions. The Ministry has organized this programme in seven districts, namely, Papar, Membakut, Tenom, Keningau, Ranau, Kudat and Kota Kinabalu with a total attendance of 1, 605 people this year. The ministry expects 2000 participants next year. The Youth and Career Seminar is another programme designed to tackle unemployment in the state. It received favorable response from the public this year, with 574 attendees in 5 districts. The ministry will continue the same programme next year with a target attendance of 1, 000 people. Dr. Yee also indicated that his Ministry would work together with the trade union and the Sabah employers’ associations to tackle issues relating to the implementation of minimum wage, extension of the retirement age and the welfare of workers generally. The digital gap between urban and rural areas will continue to be a primary concern of the Ministry in 2013. It will conduct more advanced training and ICT courses, as well as continuing with the Creative Arama IT programme in all districts. According to Dr. Yee, in this regard his Ministry has also established 19 e-Desa Centres in its effort to bridge the digital divide. He said each e-Desa Centre is given the opportunity to hold activities and business enterprises that have bearing on the needs and circumstances of the area. As an example, the e-Desa in Tangkarason village, Paitan has established restaurants, swiftlet-farming centres and home-stay accommodation for visitors.

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Landing lights failure at KKIA is not acceptable, says DCM

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yee Moh Chai wants heads to roll over the runway blackout incident at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) as flight operations returned to normal yesterday.

Yee wants action taken against those responsible for the two-day crisis that left thousands of passengers stranded at both Terminal 1 and the low cost terminal and affected the state's tourism industry.

“This is not acceptable,” he said of the failure of the landing lights at the extended runway especially when a similar incident had occurred previously but it was repaired immediately.
He said Malaysia Airports Berhad should haul up those responsible and replace them.

Flight operations at KKIA were halted on Thursday night after the runway lights blacked out and it was only after 10pm on Friday that the problem was rectified.

It is learnt that the KKIA runway extension project was riddled with delays and the contractor has failed to meet at least three deadlines set by the Transport Ministry to complete it.

A faulty transformer had apparently triggered the blackout of the runway lights.
The sub-contractor tasked to repair it had been on a go-slow action for some time over delays in payments from the main contractor, it is learnt.

Despite orders by the Department of Aviation to rectify the problems on the electrical circuit, no work was carried out by contractor or his sub-contractor, sources said.

A specialist team worked to rectify the electrical problem on Friday, the sources added.
They managed to restore the runway (edge and approach) lights at about the same time the RMAF arrived with the portable lights, said an official who declined to be named.

From late last night, 12 international and local flights were able to land, and most outbound flights, though delayed, also took off to their respective destinations.

Most of the stranded passengers whose flights were cancelled were also put on other flights, easing the situation at the airport's two terminals.

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Yee: Stop harping on KK Court House issue

11th July, 2012

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai ticked the Opposition off yesterday for continuing to harp on the issue of the Kota Kinabalu Court House.

“The Opposition has the habit of misleading the people by coming up with all sorts of interpretations about what would happen to the site of the Kota Kinabalu Court House in future,” he said after officiating at the Human Resource Development Department’s 24th anniversary celebration at a hotel here.

He was asked to comment on the latest criticism by the Opposition that the Kota Kinabalu Court House was to be relocated from its present site in the city to Bukit Punai because a shopping complex had been planned for the area.

Dr Yee, who is also the Resource and IT Development Minister, was earlier reported to have said that the existing site of the court house belonged to the Federal government and the court house building was undergoing renovation.

Read More :  http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my

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