KUCHING: Humid conditions at the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Combined hall on Saturday (June 27) have raised hopes for air conditioners at the facility.
The heat did not go unnoticed when Deputy Minister for Utility (Sarawak Energy and PETROS) Datuk Ibrahim Baki turned up for an event there.
He was told a sum of about RM100,000 would be needed to install air conditioning in the hall and he agreed to consider.
“I asked about the estimated cost of installing air conditioning because the hall is quite warm and God willing, I will approve it,” he said at the STEM Education Exploration Carnival 3.0 Satok closing ceremony here.
Ibrahim who is Satok assemblyman said the school had previously received several allocations under him, including RM100,000 for a new roof, RM250,000 for office classrooms for Special Education, and another RM100,000 to upgrade the school canteen.
At the event, meanwhile, he highlighted Sarawak’s growing role in technology development, noting that the state is no longer merely a consumer of technology but is now producing its own innovations.
Ibrahim said Sarawak-owned company SMD Semiconductor had successfully developed its own chip design, making it part of Sarawak’s intellectual property portfolio and marking an achievement in one of the world’s highest-value technology industries.
According to him, while companies such as Germany-based X-FAB in Kuching are involved in chip fabrication and manufacturing, SMD Semiconductor has advanced into chip design capabilities.
Ibrahim added that SMD Semiconductor annually recruits graduates from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak in engineering and science-related fields to expose them to opportunities in the semiconductor sector.
He said the first intake involved 70 graduates, who later secured employment with X-FAB and companies in Penang with starting salaries of around RM5,000.
“This is what we want for our young people and with this I sincerely hope that the STEM Education Exploration Carnival will not only continue but also expand so that we can keep exposing students to technology and new economic sectors,” he said.
He added that this year’s theme, “STEM Sparks: Igniting AI and Aerospace Dreams,” aligns closely with Sarawak’s direction under the leadership of the Premier towards a technology-driven, innovation-based and digital economy.
“STEM Sparks” symbolises igniting students’ interest in STEM, while “Igniting AI and Aerospace Dreams” inspires students to embrace opportunities in artificial intelligence and aerospace,” he added.
