Socio-spatial inequalities in Sarawak: the role of Sarawak corridor of renewable energy (score)

The failure of the colonial government to develop the economic sector for this state was due to the adoption of a biased development approach. The biased approach focused on the potential of existing urban areas, and on economic growth oriented rather than distributed growth. Various economic development projects had been implemented since Sarawak became part of Malaysia. As the biggest state in the country with multi-ethnic population, Sarawak definitely needs more strategic development approach and attention from the central government. The Ninth Malaysia Plan has shown that spatial inequality in Sarawak has widened and needs attention. The launching of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) marked the shift to the new approach of development in improving the spatial inequality in Sarawak through regional development strategy. This paper discusses the spatial inequality in Sarawak and explore the potential role of SCORE in regional development

Kesan Pelaksanaan Koridor Tenaga Diperbaharui Sarawak Terhadap Komuniti Tempatan: Kajian Kes Di Nod Pertumbuhan Samalaju

Walaupun perancangan pembangunan wilayah seperti dalam koridor telah dilaksanakan, tetapi ketidakseimbangan pembangunan masih berlaku di mana kemiskinan dalam kalangan Bumiputera masih wujud terutamanya di Sarawak. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan mengkaji kesan pelaksanaan projek Koridor Tenaga Diperbaharui Sarawak di nod pertumbuhan Samalaju terhadap status sosioekonomi Bumiputera di kawasan tersebut. Empat objektif kajian ini iaitu untuk mengenalpasti kesan pelaksanaan projek koridor tersebut terhadap ekonomi, sosial dan alam sekitar di petempatan komuniti Bumiputera di nod pertumbuhan Samalaju. Kajian ini juga mengkaji hala tuju nod pertumbuhan Salamaju sebagai pusat pertumbuhan wilayah baru

Adat, Budaya dan Amalan Pesawah Iban Dalam Aktiviti Penanaman Padi di Kuala Tatau, Sarawak

Komuniti Iban mengamalkan pelbagai adat, budaya dan amalan dalam aktiviti penanaman padi. Namun begitu, pengaruh pembangunan lazim dalam sektor pertanian telah menyebabkan identiti asal kaum ini semakin terancam. Pembangunan sektor pertanian tidak berlaku dalam satu vakum kerana ia mempunyai hubungkait dengan alam sekitar dan sosio-budaya petani (Ohmart, 2002). Transisi dalam sistem pertanian juga menyebabkan berlakunya perubahan dari segi aspek sosial, politik, budaya dan isu gender dalam pertanian (Ireson, 1996; Scott, 2003). Reformasi dalam sektor pertanian juga mengubah corak sistem pertanian tradisional kerana proses transformasi menyebabkan pesawah kehilangan ciri-ciri asal pesawah tradisional dan beralih kepada kategori kerja bukan pertanian (Wan Hashim, 1984). Menurut Surasin (1996), pemodenan menyebabkan masyarakat ditekan untuk membekalkan sumber yang diperlukan bagi menampung keperluan hidup yang bergantung kepada pasaran dan nilai-nilai individualistik. Akhirnya, pesawah hilang identiti dan amalan hidup yang berpandukan ilmu pengetahuan tempatan telah terhakis (Pulido dan Bocco, 2003). Bab ini membincangkan adat-adat, budaya dan amalan pesawah Iban dalam aktiviti menanam padi di Kuala Tatau. Kuala Tatau terletak dalam pentadbiran Daerah Tatau dan Bahagian Bintulu seperti yang ditunjukkan dalam Rajah 3.1. Fokus perbincangan bab ini adalah mengenai pesawah padi Iban di kampung Kuala Serupai dan Sungai Semanok yang terletak di Kuala Tatau

Issues and Problems Faced by Rural Farmers in Paddy Cultivation: A Case Study of the Iban Paddy Cultivation in Kuala Tatau, Sarawak

Rice is an important staple food in Asia. However, modernization and rapid development have reduced and threatened the practice, especially maintaining traditional hill rice cultivation, as in this case study by the Iban in Kuala Tatau located in the largest state in Malaysia, called Sarawak. It is important to understand the problems and challenges of this issue to ensure food security among the rural population in Sarawak, particularly the Iban. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss the issues and problems faced by rice farmers in Kuala Tatau, Sarawak. The respondents were Iban farmers in Kuala Tatau; named Sungai Semanok and Kuala Serupai, were selected as it is at a great distance from urban areas named Bintulu, and they still practices paddy cultivation. For the purpose of obtaining the data, qualitative research methods through in-depth interview techniques, group discussion and observation were utilized and the data were analyzed using content analysis. The results showed that the rice sector faced major problems such as the decrease of the number of farmers and a weak system in the distribution of subsidies. However, there were differences shown in results between the two villages as well, which were in term of inadequate agricultural land, and issues on drainage and irrigation system, depending on the distance of the village from urban area, transport facilities, and other issues as discussed in the following section

Strengthening Rural Economy through Regional Development Planning Approach in Sarawak

Rural development often linked with regional development and both are considered as detached entities in regional development efforts whereby they are mutually dependent on their development. Both of these developments are tied together by various types of rural-urban-regional linkages and the understanding of the reciprocal relationship behind these areas and consideration of this relationship in regional development strategies are very effective in the development of both areas. This paper seeks to discuss the rural development strategies in Sarawak through the implementation of regional development planning approaches such as the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). For the purpose of data collection, this paper utilized qualitative research method of secondary data analysis of previous studies which did by government agencies and researchers. Therefore, the content analysis was used to analyze the data. The study found that the regional development policies in Sarawak have changed the rural economy by developing physical, social and economic programs under the corridor economic projects

The demand of change in teaching and learning: What are the teachers' reactions?

Educational reform has become a top priority for many countries due to the rapid changes in the globalization era. Hence, various educational transformations related to teaching and learning have been introduced for improving the quality of education. However, the implementation of new policies often strays from the original goals. In the context of education, the challenges of educational reform stem from policymakers not considering the impact of change on all interdependent components of the school ecosystem. One of the most important components of the school ecosystem is the teacher. So, this study aims to explore the reactions of teachers to the changes in teaching and learning that they have gone through. The reactions consist of cognitive, affective, and behavioral elements. This study employed a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews as the research instrument. The study involved 12 secondary school teachers from the West Coast Zone of Sabah, Malaysia. Data analysis using thematic methods. The results show that there are four dimensions of teachers' reactions, namely Support Change, Dilemma, Indifferent, and Reject Change. The results of this study provide benefits to stakeholders in policy formulation related to teaching and learning in the classroom

Tren penanaman dan kegunaan tumbuhan herba dalam kalangan masyarakat Melayu di Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang

Balik Pulau merupakan daerah yang masih kaya dengan kepelbagaian budaya dan warisan masyarakat Melayu tradisional. Jika dibandingkan dengan daerah Timur Laut yang membangun dengan pesat akibat proses pembandaran, masyarakat Melayu di Balik Pulau masih mengamalkan konsep perkarangan tanaman herba. Objektif artikel ini adalah untuk menerangkan tren penanaman tumbuhan herba dan kegunaannya dalam kehidupan seharian masyarakat di Balik Pulau. Antara tumbuhan herba yang ditanam adalah seperti serai, pegaga, cili, limau purut, limau nipis, limau kasturi dan banyak lagi. Tumbuhan herba tersebut digunakan untuk tujuan masakan, perubatan, hiasan dan ada juga untuk tujuan komersial. Kaedah penyelidikan kuantitatif telah dipilih dengan melakukan survei di lima buah kampung iaitu Kampung Pulau Betong, Kampung Terang, Kampung Genting, Kampung Sungai Burong dan Kampung Jalan Bharu. Berdasarkan penemuan, majoriti responden yang ditemubual masih menanam tumbuhan herba yang biasa digunakan seperti, serai, pandan, kunyit, lengkuas, dan daun kari. Kebanyakannya digunakan untuk tujuan masakan, manakala hanya segelintir sahaja yang menggunakan tumbuhan herba untuk perubatan dan perhiasan