Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water pays visit to Curtin Sarawak

Miri – 15 September 2014 – Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili, the Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, visited the campus of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) today.

He was in Miri to attend the national-level Malaysia Day celebrations being held here and decided to pay Curtin Sarawak a brief visit to follow up on research projects being carried out by the university since his last visit as the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in 2009.

On hand to receive him were Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Sarawak Assistant Minister of Communications and Assistant Minister of Sports and chair of Curtin Sarawak’s management board; Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Ir. Yudi Samyudia; Dean of Research & Development and Acting Director of the Curtin Sarawak Research Institute (CSRI) Professor Clem Kuek; Dean of Teaching & Learning Dr. Beena Giridharan, and senior academics and researchers of the university’s School of Engineering and Science and the CSRI.

Also present was Dato’ Sebastian Ting, secretary-general of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and former political secretary at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (KETTHA).

In welcoming the minister, Professor Samyudia said Curtin Sarawak was very honoured by his keenness to learn more about the progress of R&D at the campus, particularly its projects involving renewable energy and those funded by the federal government.

He said Curtin Sarawak has made tremendous progress in the area of research and development, and is undertaking new infrastructure development that will significantly boost its research and knowledge acquisition capability in the coming years.

Professor Kuek later gave the minister and his delegation a briefing on Curtin Sarawak’s R&D activities and projects, including those relating to green technology and its research-design-build projects in rural development.

Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus expressed great interest in projects under Curtin Sarawak’s proposed Rural Development Plan to bring community-based electrification for remote communities in Sarawak via micro-hydro projects.

He said that they were in line with his ministry’s objectives to promote green technology and proposed collaborations between KETTHA and Curtin Sarawak to support the projects at Long Tanid and Long Muboi.

Curtin Sarawak intends to build micro hydro schemes for the two villages, which will also include hybridisation with solar power at Long Muboi, and the supply of potable water for both communities.

(L-R) Dato’ Sebastian Ting, Professor Samyudia, Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Ongkili.

Datuk Lee Kim Shin presenting a momento to Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Ongkili.