KAPIT: A primary school here, SK Kampung Baru yesterday held a special assembly at the school to bid farewell to a a female teacher Lau King Hoon who retired at the age of 56. Lau has opted for early retirement at that age to follow her family members who reside in Kuching. In her farewell remark Lau went down the memory lane about her 29 years in service and that her posting at SK Kampung Baru was full of sweet memories that she said would cherish for the rest of her life. “I started my teaching career after attending the Diploma of Education at Rajang Teachers’ Training College in 1989.Throughout my teaching career, I taught at four schools namely at SK Ulu Manding, Julau where I served from 1989 to 1990 then transferred to SJKC Yong Kwong, Bintangor from 1991 to 1992 and later posted to SJKC Hock Lam from 1993 to 2011. In 2012 I was posted to SK Kampung Baru until today. “Today is my last day at SK Kampong Baru. As I look back, the last 29 years of teaching career, I have lots of challenging memories. But only at SK Kampung Baru, I have the sweet and fond memories. This is because here I feel very comfortable and pleasant because of the very conducive environment. In addition my colleagues are all very friendly and passionate and the pupils are polite and well mannered. These sweet memories shall be my greatest treasure to cherish in my life. “I have not much to say because I feel sad to leave all of you. But I wish all of you good health and happy teaching,” said Lau Meanwhile the school headmistress Seniah Othman who spoke earlier on thanked Lau for her services at the school. She wished her happy retirement and advised her to look after her health. In the evening the school feted Lau to a farewell dinner that was attended by the Senior Assistants Sng Sioh Yiang, Johan Annuar, Julius Ata and Catherine Bayak, the chairman of Parents-Teachers Association Mohd Matan Yok, teachers and parents.

SIBU: About 1,700 community leaders from Sibu, Kapit and Mukah yesterday attended a state-level development and leadership seminar for community leaders held at Kingwood Hotel here in Sibu yesterday.  The seminar aimed to increase understanding among the community leaders towards the development of Sarawak. 

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg who officiated at the seminar said in his speech the spirit of solid unity of Sarawakians which became the best model in Malaysia should be translated into the 14th General Election (GE14). He said when peope are united and with their strong support it would make the voice of the people to be heard at the federal government especially in the effort to restore Sarawak rights which have been enacted in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (1963). According to him, Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak had featured 15 new faces out of 31 candidates in the coming GE14. 

“We are really grateful that Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and United People’s Party (UPP) are now reunited under one roof for the sake of Sarawak’s future development.

“And for that reason 50 per cent of Sarawak BN candidates in the GE14 are new faces, so I urge all of Sarawakians to be united and give strong support and with a strong spirit, our voice can be heard in the federal government. And it is for the future development of Sarawak,” Abang Johari said.

The Chief Minister also stated that the strong support of the people toward the BN government was important in bringing continuous development for the benefits of the people.  Thus, he reiterated that the people must be united with each other. 

“Sarawak is a best model for unity and it becomes an example for Malaysia. But, we must continue to live in harmony, peaceful in our own ‘family’. And as such other people will continue to respect us. Unlike what happens in Peninsula Malaysia, we must be united and maintain our unity,” he said. 

Johari therefore stressed that he entrusted the trust given by all the leaders of the team as the ‘Captain   of Tok Nan Team’ and would use the ‘Ngap Sayot’ spirit to continue the efforts of former chief minister, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem or better known as Tok Nan. “As a Captain in the Tok Nan Team, I will continue to fight for all, but it is not the same like what Tok Nan did;   I will do it with my own way..but the aim of our fight is similar which is for the benefits of Sarawakians,” stressed Abang Johari. He also expressed his desire to implement a structured development in rural areas.

“This new culture is a mobile phone and today’s life has changed, so I’m doing digital economy programme because the children know about it and soon they will be going digital. “I want today’s farmers to use digital. We want them to switch to digital and by doing so they would be able to improve the social living standard in the future.

“This is a new way for our children in the village to become entrepreneurs, I’m telling you all these because I intend to develop the rural areas. “Let’s see Sarawak’s future development, raise our spirits and voices together in this 14th general election,” he said.

Chief Minister’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Juma’ani Tun Datuk Patinggi Tuanku Haji Bujang, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and his wife Datin Sri Pauline Leong, Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Minister in Chief Minister’s Office (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip and State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani were among those present.