KK & Sabah News-Flash

Villages to Benefit from Rainwater Harvesting Project

Heineken Malaysia, in partnership with Kupi-Kupi FM, has implemented the Heineken Rainwater Harvesting System project in three locations in Sabah, in line with its global sustainability strategy aptly named Brewing a Better World (BaBW).

According to MCA Penampang chief Datuk Francis Goh, more than 2,300 villagers will benefit from this project.  During the launching at Balai Raya Kg Koudipan, Saturday, he said that water is important for survival.  Because of the growing population, there is a need for water to be conserved and utilized correctly.  The rainwater harvesting system is one of the best examples to answer these needs.

Goh also said that there are many benefits of the system – easy maintenance, reduction in demand for ground water, reduction in water bills and reduction of risk of flooding.  Also, rainwater is clean – no pollutants, salts, minerals and other natural and man-made contaminants.  A water quality test that was conducted recently on the system showed a result of PH7, that is, the water is neutral.  At this level, water is potable and can be used for cooking.

The three centers were chosen because of the high rainfall in these areas every year.

Programs Against Illiteracy Among Sabah Women to Start Next Year

Programs against illiteracy in women will be implemented by the Sabah Women Affairs Department (Jhewa) starting next year, targeting those in the rural areas.  Jhewa director Masnah Mat Salleh said that literacy issues in Sabah is at a minimum but identifying those who need assistance in this aspect is important for the development of the state in all areas.

Although Masnah recognizes the efforts of the government in the field of education, there is a possibility that some may be left behind and will need assistance to combat literacy problems.  She also added that the funds for the program are enough but the department is short-handed when it comes to personnel.  In fact, she is calling out to non-government organizations (NGOs) to lend a hand in the implementation of these projects.

Masnah believes that improving the literacy rate of women, especially among single mothers and those who belong to the lower income levels, will be advantageous to the development programs of the state.  This would be especially true for poverty alleviation projects through entrepreneurship.

Rotary District’s Tree Planting Project

The Rotary Clubs in Kota Kinabalu have committed to plant 10,000 trees in the vicinity of Kota Kinabalu District, Penampang, Putatan and Tuaran.  The four Rotary Clubs in Kota Kinabalu and those in Penampang, Likas Bay, Luyang, Tanjung Aru and Kinabalu Sutera joined forces in response to the call of Rotary International President Ian Riseley to plant 1.2 million trees by next year’s Earth Day, April 22, 2018.  In his challenge, Riseley said that this is for the protection of the environment and to deter climate change.  Both of these aims are in line with the goal of sustainable service of the Rotarians, whose greatest responsibilities are the vulnerable ones.

The tree planting project is under the Community, Environment, Economic and Community Development Category with the theme “Plant for the Future” and starting date was last November 26.  It is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), KK Wetlands and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).