Despite juggling responsibilities as Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak and serving his constituency, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu still makes time for reading and keeping up with new ideas.
During a casual question-and-answer session with Sarawak Tribune, the Layar assemblyman spoke about the importance of reading philosophy books and applying knowledge in everyday life.
Sarawak Tribune: What would you encourage young people to read more often?
Gerald: I still believe we should look into older books, like philosophy books and all that. Things were happening thousands of years ago, and yet their ideas and thinking are still the same. So all these kinds of theories are still valid in a sense.
Sarawak Tribune: What is important when learning something new?
Gerald: Most importantly, you must think about how to apply it to your everyday life. Application of something that you learn from, that can improve you.
Sarawak Tribune: What concerns you most about how young people consume information today?
Gerald: Today it’s too easy. Everybody just Googles without having the real feeling of it. That’s something I’d like to encourage, especially among young people.
Sarawak Tribune: Outside your responsibilities as minister and assemblyman, what do you usually enjoy doing?
Gerald: I try to spend as much time with my family. But in my own time, I like to read. I still do a lot of reading. Now you can go online and look into some of the articles and new ideas, trying to keep up with how the world is thinking.
Sarawak Tribune: What is something the public may not know about you?
Gerald: I cook. I am currently trying to make Western food right now. I’m also trying to do a lot more pansoh-style cooking, like modifying the ingredients and all that. A bit of fusion, I might say.
Sarawak Tribune: What kind of dishes do you enjoy preparing?
Gerald: Like I said, I’m trying to do a lot more pansoh-style dishes. Like adding some Chinese herbs into it. Chicken with goji berries, garlic and all that, so you can have a nice soup.
