STA to continue cash incentive programme under its CSR
SIBU: The Sarawak Timber Association ( STA) will continue to give away cash awards to outstanding students next year.
According to STA chairman Pemanca Datuk Wong Kie Yik, the incentives are meant to encourage students to excel in their public examinations – namely the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia ( SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM).
Moreover, it is also a part of the association’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
“Through a subsidiary company, STA Mutual Sdn Bhd ( STAM), the STA aims to enhance the welfare of communities irrespective of race, religion or background, as well as to provide scholarships and financial assistance to schools, colleges, institutes and universities that are training Sarawakians in skills relevant to the forestry, forest plantation and timber industries,” he spoke at the ‘STA Cash Award Presentation 2017’ at a hotel here on Saturday, where some 100 students who excelled in their SPM and STPM examinations last year received their incentives.
Adding on, Wong said other CSR activities by STAM included provision of financial assistance to outstanding students who are studying at technical institututions in Sarawak.
“In 2016, six students of Mara Skills Institutes ( IKM) received STAM assistance, whereas nine students of Kota Samarahan Industrial Training Institutes ( ILP) were subsidised to attend the professional certificate courses,” he said.
The professional certificate courses attended by the nine students were conducted by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health ( NIOSH).
“I am also pleased to announce that STA will not only continue to provide this assistance to ILP Kota Samarahan, but will also increase the number of students to 20 next year,” said Wong.
Moreover, he said STA also distributed 1,000 schoolbags complete with stationery sets worth RM86,016.51 to children of primary schools, which were nominated by its members in their respective timber concession areas.
He also said there were also funds allocated by STA to repair and maintain furniture and other key facilities at some of the rural schools, located within the timber concession areas that were nominated by STA members.
“An amount of RM360,000 has been earmarked for these projects.”
Wong said besides financial contributions and scholarships, STA also presents the ‘ Best Graduating Students’ and ‘ Best Final Year Project Paper’ awards to those studying at the Faculty of Resource Science and Technology at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak ( Unimas) and the Faculty of Forestry at Universiti Putra Malaysia ( UPM).
“Since 2007, the Daiken Corporation – in collaboration with STA – has been awarding the Daiken Scholarships to students pursuing degree programmes at Unimas, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and Curtin University of Technology Sarawak,” he added.
Meanwhile on the STA Cash Awards 2017, Wong said 747 of the recipients were students who scored in their SPM last year, and 215 were those who obtained excellent STPM results last year.
Each of the SPM student received RM550, while the STPM students were given RM650 each.
Pemanca Datuk Wong Kie Yik, STA chairman