KUCHING: The Sarawak State Library hosted a health awareness programme yesterday (Feb 14) in conjunction with World Cancer Day 2025, emphasising the crucial role of early cancer detection and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Chief executive officer, Tuan Haji Japri Bujang Masli, said in his speech that the event reflected the library’s ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of lifelong learning.
“To succeed in this world, one must have knowledge and to succeed in the hereafter, one must also have knowledge, ” he said.
“This means that reliance on knowledge is absolute. Therefore, we at the State Library provide facilities and services to support a lifelong learning culture, not only for senior citizens but for all levels of society,” he said.
Japri emphasised that the library provided essential facilities and services to support lifelong learning, not just for senior citizens, but for everyone in the community.
The event saw a strong turnout of senior citizens, with the CEO expressing hopes that more people would participate in similar programmes in the future. He stressed that access to knowledge, particularly in the field of health, was crucial in today’s world.
“We welcome the public to make full use of the facilities provided by the State Library and encourage collaborations like this to enhance knowledge among the community, especially in areas such as health,” he said.
He added that the library, which was celebrating its 25th anniversary, continued to be a key institution for knowledge-sharing in Sarawak.
Japri also revealed that approximately RM35 million was allocated annually to maintain and develop the library’s services and ensure it remained a valuable resource for the community.
Family Medicine Consultant Dr Siti Zaleha Sulaiman was one of the key speakers at the event.
She focused on the importance of early cancer detection in improving treatment success and preventing the disease from spreading.
Dr Siti Zaleha emphasised that regular screenings and healthy lifestyle choices could significantly reduce the risks of various types of cancer. She discussed how early detection, particularly in breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer, played a crucial role in improving treatment outcomes and survival rates.
She also urged the public to be aware of risk factors such as an unhealthy diet, smoking, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol consumption.
“Prevention is better than cure,” Dr Siti Zaleha added, advising everyone to lead healthier lives and undergo regular screenings.
