<![CDATA[The Sarawakian]]>

<![CDATA[The Sarawakian]]>https://www.thesarawakian.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DMIk!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1658bec4-6089-44c2-bf36-c308ce92e022_1000x1000.pngThe Sarawakianhttps://www.thesarawakian.comSubstackWed, 15 Apr 2026 22:37:12 GMT<![CDATA[Hydrogen Projects Scaled Down]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/hydrogen-projects-scaled-downhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/hydrogen-projects-scaled-downSun, 12 Apr 2026 01:20:51 GMTThis week, we see that the flagship hydrogen projects in the state have been scaled back due to weak demand. The world is not quite ready yet for large-scale adoption of hydrogen energy. With Brent crude prices hovering around USD100 a barrel since mid-March, things could still change.

But I’m not being naively optimistic. In A String of Thought, I suggest this is part of the growing pains.

This week’s infographic looks at extreme poverty, which is a trickier subject to measure than it appears. While eliminating poverty has long been a goal of our government, the data shows that poverty is highly contextual to its location. Without arguing about whose poverty is more severe, we should all aim to learn from China. In 1984, 91% of its population was living in extreme poverty, compared to Malaysia’s 6.7%. Since 2019, that figure has fallen to zero.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

Even Optimism Needs A Backup Plan

Sarawak today feels like a place in motion — not in the abstract sense of incremental progress, but in the more deliberate sense of a region attempting to shape its own trajectory with intent and scale…

6 days ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Bintulu Lands Polysilicon Plant]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/bintulu-lands-polysilicon-planthttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/bintulu-lands-polysilicon-plantSat, 04 Apr 2026 23:33:21 GMTWe live in strange times right now. The uncertainty of the next few months as the Iran War continues day by day is unsettling to say the least. What plans can you make and carry out?

Which is why the headline news this week is particularly heartening. The announcement of a new polysilicon plant is a significant milestone for Bintulu and Sarawak’s economy, and a reassuring signal for the rest of us.

Still, the road ahead is perilous. This week’s infographic looks at the price differentials of petrol and diesel between Malaysia and our closest neighbours. In the region the subsidy game is strong but in this era of high prices and shortage, smuggling of subsidised fuel is going to be rampant, as we are already seeing.

In a string of thought, I ask if the future we imagined has finally arrived. Not quite glass-topped flying cars and nagging assistant robots, but a version of our future nonetheless.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

A Barer New World

The ground that we stand on is shifting. And I’m not referring to the recent earthquake in the Molucca Seas. The shift is economic and it is not just about petrol prices at the pump. At the risk of stating the obvious, petroleum is not just fuel. It is also fertiliser, which is the foundation of modern agriculture. And it is plastic, which is a ubiquito…

13 days ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Carbon Trading Ready by 2027]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/carbon-trading-ready-by-2027https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/carbon-trading-ready-by-2027Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:02:55 GMTCarbon trading is coming to Sarawak.

Some of us might argue that the idea of carbon trading is as strange as the idea of cryptocurrency: both are invisible in the physical world, and have artificially assigned values. But… one could also extend the same argument against any money these days… Before we fall into that rabbit hole, let me remind you that the global market capital of cryptocurrency is worth of USD2.4 trillion (from a peak of more than USD4 trillion). The value of carbon market is not as stratospheric but the latest estimate of the global carbon market size is about USD900 billion. To put it in context, that is just about double Malaysia’s GDP in USD. It’s not chump change!

The infographic this week looks at some of the numbers from the major emissions trading schemes around the world. In case you have forgotten, the EU carbon permit price has been tracked on The Sarawakian for a while now (see NUMBERS). I await the day I can replace that number with a Sarawak-based figure, instead.

In a string of thought, I think about how special Sarawakians are and whether we might have privileges that come with that uniqueness.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

Limited Edition People

Sarawak is beginning to make a mark on the world stage. There is growing talk about hydrogen production, renewable energy, and the state positioning itself as a kind of battery pack for the region. For the first time in a long while, Sarawak is not just reacting to global shifts. It is starting to help shape them. But beneath this momentum lies a quiete…

16 days ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Low-Altitude Economy Push]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/low-altitude-economy-pushhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/low-altitude-economy-pushSat, 21 Mar 2026 23:34:26 GMTThis week’s issue centres on Sarawak’s push into the low-altitude economy — the growing ecosystem of drones and aerial technologies operating below conventional airspace.

The infographic puts global drone use in context. The number of drones in operation in China is nearly as big as the population of Sarawak. More importantly, Sarawak’s combination of vast landscape and sparse population presents the perfect opportunity for the application of drones.

Yet ambition has its complications. This week’s “A String of Thought” surfaces something stranger and less easily named — the unspoken unease that can settle around those who simply try too hard: the fear of success. It is a fear that rarely announces itself openly, yet it shapes communities in quiet, lasting ways.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

The Fear Of Success

We speak often about the fear of failure, as though it is the primary force that holds people back. It is familiar, widely accepted, and easy to understand. Failure is something we anticipate, prepare for, and try to avoid. Yet far less discussed, and perhaps far more unsettling, is the fear of success. Unlike failure, success does not simply add to our…

a month ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Medical Tourism Surges]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/medical-tourism-surgeshttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/medical-tourism-surgesSat, 14 Mar 2026 23:27:32 GMTThe state of Selangor has recently erected a very tall flagpole and of course, there are immediate comparisons against Sarawak’s flagpole on which state’s erection is taller. Of course, the tallest flagpole in the world is actually in Africa (Egypt). The jokes write themselves.

A bit of levity might provide some temporary mental relief from the stressful situation that is happening in the Middle East. Aside from worrying about our families and friends who might still be stuck in the war zone, the oil price has worryingly shot up to over USD100 per barrel. One might compare the oil price chart with our collective blood pressure as the days go by.

Speaking of blood pressure, medical tourism in Sarawak is steadily growing. The infographic highlights how much room there is for expansion, in terms of the potential revenue the sector could generate.

In this week’s A String of Thought, I was triggered by a so-called friend when he asked “why are we friends?”. He’s a doctor, too.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

Why are we friends?

A few years ago, motivational speaker Simon Sinek popularised a deceptively simple idea: if you want to understand yourself, you must discover your “why.” Your “why,” he argues, is the deep motivation behind your actions. It is the reason you push through difficulty and persist when life becomes complicated. Sinek’s message resonated widely after his…

a month ago · 3 likes · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Trans-Borneo Rail Study By Q3]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/trans-borneo-rail-study-by-q3https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/trans-borneo-rail-study-by-q3Sat, 07 Mar 2026 22:31:12 GMTTrains seem like an old fashioned idea, what with all the new tech in EV cars and low cost flying. But trains are the most environmentally friendly and cost effective means of carrying large number of people over large distances. Borneo Island certainly meets one of those conditions. The feasibility study will tell us more about the rest.

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Speaking of large quantities over great distances, this week’s infographic looks at how world events affect the prices of two crudes: crude oil and crude palm oil.

These are challenging times. In A String of Thought, I consider some inspirations for sparing a thought for those who rely on us for stability and strength.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

Calm Minds in Difficult Times

Sometimes we forget that running a business is not only a technical exercise. It is also an emotional journey…

a month ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

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]]><![CDATA[Sarawakians Push Back]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/sarawakians-push-backhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/sarawakians-push-backSat, 28 Feb 2026 23:51:58 GMTThe Year of the Fire Horse has begun in suitably fiery fashion. After months of back and forth, and extensive negotiations behind closed doors, talks have collapsed. The Sarawak government is heading to court. The implications could be far reaching, though a resolution is unlikely to come quickly.

Following last week’s quip about Sarawak having more crocodiles than doctors, I took a closer look at how our doctor numbers compare across the region. Among ASEAN countries, Sarawak performs better than some neighbours. Yet the sobering truth remains that we are still significantly short of doctors.

This led me to reflect on the role of journalists. Their work is not only to uncover the realities of our time, but also to tell our stories to the wider world. Our stories matter.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

Journalism is part of the Creative Economy

Ignorant journalists are a real thing. That sounds harsh, but it is not meant as an insult. It describes a structural problem in modern journalism…

a month ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Croconomic Potential]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/croconomic-potentialhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/croconomic-potentialSat, 21 Feb 2026 23:23:05 GMTA (Chinese) friend once stopped by the roadside when the mileage of his car reached 99,999, just so he could admire the number before it turned 100,000. This prompted another friend (Malay) to remark that the Chinese are obsessed with money and numbers. He forgot to mention the colour red. Which brings us to this week’s infographic about the economics of angpows. The numbers are simulated based actual data and some assumptions, but they could easily, albeit unlikely to, be verified by Malaysian banks.

This week’s headline news is about Sarawak Tourism Minister considering crocodile farming for leather production, like what Thailand has been doing for decades. I get that it’s controversial but I think it’s not as exotic as it sounds. We already have a craft industry, and the crocodile population needs to be managed. A recent estimate by Sarawak Forestry says we have about 25,000 crocodiles in the wild. That’s nearly 14 crocodiles for every doctor in Sarawak. Too many crocodiles, too few doctors - this has been the story of Sarawak for too long and it needs to change.

In A String of Thought, I look at the more sombre aspect of poverty - how so many of our people, locally as well as in the wider region, are living with an unintended inheritance over generations.

We have entered the holy month of Ramadhan, after all. Selamat Berpuasa.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

The Invisible Inheritance

If you walk into the city centres of Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, or Jakarta, the signals of wealth are impossible to miss. They gleam in monogrammed canvas, flash in shiny trinkets that cost more than a brand new car, and shimmer behind polished glass displays. It is easy to believe that wealth is the ability to purchase a RM50,000 watch without g…

2 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Room For Private Sector]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/room-for-private-sectorhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/room-for-private-sectorSat, 14 Feb 2026 22:31:03 GMTTourism is one of the critical sectors of the Sarawak economy. The shortage of hotel capacity has to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Hence this week’s headline: not only the private sector should be running hotels, there’s plenty of room for growth.

The scandal of the week is Bloomberg’s exposé on MACC Chief Tan Sri Azam Baki, which ties in nicely with the latest release of Transparency International report on Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Malaysia’s score has been steadily improving… to the middle. The Sidenote article this week gives some insight. Click on the infographic to access the full CPI report.

In A String of Thought, I experiment using AI to generate a handsomer version of… Sarawak’s future.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

The Limits of Artificial Imagination

The recent development of AI tools, and any long-time reader of The Sarawakian knows I’m a strong advocate for their thoughtful use, has enabled a strange new kind of realism: video animation that looks like real people doing real things they never actually did…

2 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

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]]><![CDATA[Borneonisation of Civil Service]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/borneonisation-of-civil-servicehttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/borneonisation-of-civil-serviceSun, 08 Feb 2026 01:03:52 GMTWithout getting too distracted by the political noises around MA63 this week, the headline centres on Putrajaya move to hire more Sarawakians in federal positions in the civil service in Sarawak. Is it just me, or is it surprising this is only coming up now?

This week’s infographic compares several major Malaysian ports with Sarawak’s two primary gateways, Kuching and Bintulu. The difference in scale is distractingly wide and just shows how far behind we are in maritime trade volumes.

In A String of Thought, I ruminate about a common affliction in modern life. It takes real effort to push back against the constant pull of distraction.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

We All Have ADHD Now

Modern life is loud. Modern business is complicated. The world is changing very fast. We often describe ourselves as busy, but being busy today is not just about having a lot to do. It is about having too many things pulling at our attention at the same time…

2 months ago · 2 likes · Mooreyameen Mohamad

Your thoughts are always welcome, by the way.

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]]><![CDATA[MA63 Dashboard Unveiled]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/ma63-dashboard-unveiledhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/ma63-dashboard-unveiledSat, 31 Jan 2026 23:34:24 GMTThis week’s news is headlined by the publication of the MA63 dashboard. The political sparring over MA63 has grown in volume, not all constructive or informative. (You can click on the image to link directly to the dashboard.)

Global markets also had a dramatic week. Gold surged past USD5,000 per ounce for the first time. The ringgit has been on a relentless surge, moving past the vaunted RM4.00 to the dollar mark. If not unnerving, it is at least unfamiliar.

As a nod to APACE being held in Kuching, I was surprised in my research for the infographic this week how many countries have ambitions to conquer space, which, now seems… crowded, ironically. Sarawak is already late to the party!

In this week’s A String of Thought, I thought we might harness the power of brutal feedback to feed our hunger for progress.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

The Tough Love of Brutal Feedback

We talk a lot about growth. We speak of progress, leadership, and improvement. But the moment someone gives us real feedback, the uncomfortable kind, we tend to react. We get defensive. We feel attacked. That instinct is human, but it is also a barrier. If we are serious about building a stronger Sarawak, whether in government, business, or civil societ…

3 months ago · 1 like · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Cool for School: Six, Seven]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/cool-for-school-six-sevenhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/cool-for-school-six-sevenSat, 24 Jan 2026 22:59:28 GMTLast week’s big announcement centred on education. One major change is that children as young as six can now enter Primary One. With many households having two working parents, an earlier start may suit both families and children better.

That said, there is still much room for improvement in primary school education. This week’s infographic compares Malaysian pupils’ reading and mathematics abilities at the end of primary school with those in several Southeast Asian countries and a selection of high-income nations. The result is middling at best. It also appears that many Malaysian children leave primary school without mastering basic skills.

Unfortunately, there are no separate statistics for Sarawak. With 43 percent of the population living in rural areas that generally have weaker facilities and fewer teachers, the situation here could be worse. We simply do not know.

In this week’s A String of Thought, I reflect on another thing we do not know: the future, and when we might finally start preparing for it.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

At the Edge of Possibility

Major economic transformations rarely happen when conditions are ideal. They happen when regions are forced to act despite real constraints. History shows that progress accelerates not when everything is in place, but when leaders decide that waiting carries greater risk than moving forward…

3 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

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]]><![CDATA[Bintulu Port Acquired: RM1.8 billion]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/bintulu-port-acquired-rm18-billionhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/bintulu-port-acquired-rm18-billionSun, 18 Jan 2026 00:47:44 GMTThis week’s big headline: the Sarawak government went shopping and bought a port! The Bintulu Port will generate steady cash flow, anchor new industries, and strengthen Sarawak’s economic sovereignty. In development terms, this is nation-building infrastructure.

The federal government is reviewing limits employment policies on skilled foreign workers (aka ‘expats’, as opposed to ‘migrant workers’). Such policies should be reviewed regularly as economic realities change. The challenge is to tweak the policies in a way that is fair, humane while staying competitive, as they affect lives and livelihoods of people. I’m sure our own Dr Sim heartily agrees.

In this week’s infographic, we look at some grimmer statistics. Childhood stunting due to undernutrition has popped up on the radar and Malaysia is not doing well. Nearly 1 in every 4 children are affected. We need to pay serious attention to this to change the trend.

In A String of Thought, I get lyrical about changing the tune of a common refrain: ‘This is Sarawak’. It’s time for it to mean something different.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

“This Is Sarawak”

There is a phrase Sarawakians use when something goes wrong. It is said when meetings start late, when paperwork drags on for weeks, when decisions stall, and when responsibility becomes unclear. The phrase is simple: “This is Sarawak…

3 months ago · 1 like · 2 comments · Mooreyameen Mohamad

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]]><![CDATA[Un-healthy MA63 Delays]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/un-healthy-ma63-delayshttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/un-healthy-ma63-delaysSun, 11 Jan 2026 01:30:58 GMTThis week’s headline casts a spotlight on the dark clouds gathering over the MA63 negotiations on Sarawak’s healthcare autonomy. It is puzzling why the federal government would delay on an issue that is both fundamental and urgent.

Equally puzzling is the call by some Malaysians for Najib Razak to be released from prison for his role in misappropriating funds from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. This week’s infographic revisits the key statistics as a reminder of the scale of the theft, and how long it will take for the country to be free from a debt that was never ours to begin with.

On a lighter note, this week’s A String of Thought reflects on whether Sarawak’s relative isolation, at least geographically, may in fact be a blessing in disguise.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

The Green Firewall

On 1 January, Malaysia’s Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) officially came into force. Under this new regulatory regime, large platforms are now legally obligated to shoulder greater responsibility for the content they host – specifically material that facilitates harm or exerts “undue influence.” On the surface, the law is framed as a pragmatic safeguard f…

3 months ago · 2 comments · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Sarawak in 2025: Unwrapped]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/sarawak-in-2025-unwrappedhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/sarawak-in-2025-unwrappedSun, 04 Jan 2026 02:58:19 GMTAs a new year special, I have compiled a set of milestone headlines from 2025. Sarawakians, you have been busy! Keep going.

2025 Unwrapped

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]]><![CDATA[MA63 Dashboard To Go Online]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/ma63-dashboard-to-go-onlinehttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/ma63-dashboard-to-go-onlineSun, 04 Jan 2026 02:48:17 GMTThis week’s headline rightly spotlights the announcement that the MA63 dashboard will go live by the end of January. After all, we have an East Malaysian serving as Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister. Well done, sir! Without overstating its significance, the decision to make progress on such a sensitive set of negotiations publicly visible is, by local standards, quite groundbreaking.

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For this week’s infographic, I went down a small rabbit hole on R&D. South Korea now leads the world in research spending as a share of GDP, and the results speak for themselves. Rapid advances across technology, manufacturing, and services did not happen by accident. By comparison, Malaysia’s numbers look wanting, and that gap has consequences.

In A String of Thought, I look ahead to what 2026 might bring. The year has barely begun and the US has already invaded Venezuela. Not exactly an encouraging opening chapter.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

Just Around The River Bend

There are three big conundrums that weigh on my mind, usually around this time of the year…

3 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[New Life For Old 'DUN']]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/new-life-for-old-dunhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/new-life-for-old-dunSat, 27 Dec 2025 23:09:08 GMTThis is the final weekend before the new year. Without getting into too much detail, there is quite a lot to look forward to in 2026. The feasibility study for a new airport in Kuching is expected to be completed in February, while the Borneo railway feasibility study is scheduled for July 2026. Of particular note is that, for the first time, the Malaysian government is also studying the adoption of nuclear power generation. All this studying should be a source of inspiration for Sarawakian students beginning their first degree under the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) in the new year.

In this week’s A String of Thought, I explore an alternative pathway to tertiary education: social media content creation as a possible route for social mobility. Hint: it’s not all fun and games.

On the subject of work, Malaysia continues to have a complicated love-hate relationship with migrant labour. A well-researched long-read in Sidenotes traces recent legal changes affecting migrant workers and examines their real-world impact.

And in the spirit of the holiday season, this week’s infographic takes a tongue-in-cheek look at how classic fairy tales have, for generations, quietly normalised the abuse of workers.

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Mooreyameen Mohamad

Influencer: The new internship

If you and I were at the same Christmas parties recently, you would have heard at least a few conversations or arguments about whether being an influencer counts as a “real job…

4 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[Sarawak Ombudsman Leads]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/sarawak-ombudsman-leadshttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/sarawak-ombudsman-leadsSat, 20 Dec 2025 22:42:38 GMTThe headline that deserves our attention this week is the Sarawak Ombudsman. Some of us may not be entirely familiar with the idea of an ombudsman, but it plays a crucial role in a government’s ability to self-correct when things go off track. While the Public Audit Committee focuses largely on financial matters, the Ombudsman looks into issues such as delays, abuse of power, and unfair procedures within government agencies. In other words, it exists to ensure the system treats people properly.

All of that, in a way, is meant to keep us happy. Which brings us to the curious business of measuring happiness. It turns out money is not quite the decisive factor we often assume it to be. According to the latest World Happiness Report, income does matter, but far less than social and relational factors. This week’s infographic highlights the happiest countries in the world, compares Southeast Asia, and shows Malaysia’s own Happiness Index, including how different states rank. You can click through to the original reports from the infographic.

In A String of Thought, I reflect on the idea of going back to school to learn a few new tricks. Education, after all, is not just for young pups.

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Rejuvenating Education

The recent launch of the Fund for Tertiary Education for Sarawakians (FTES) is a commendable step forward. By prioritising financial support for students enrolled in Sarawak-owned universities, the state signals a strong intent to develop homegrown talent capable of driving local progress. This initiative strengthens Sarawak’s position in charting its…

4 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[AirBorneo Takes Off]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/airborneo-takes-offhttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/airborneo-takes-offSun, 14 Dec 2025 00:24:20 GMTWith just two weeks left in 2025, Singapore has finally become the richest country in the world on a per capita basis. Perhaps there is some comfort in noting that the Malaysian ringgit has strengthened steadily over the past few weeks. At this pace, it may even test the MYR4 to USD1 threshold before long.

This week’s headline has to be AirBorneo’s website launch. True to Sarawakian form, the first wave of feedback focused on how expensive the fares appeared to be. This week’s infographic looks at Sarawak’s aviation landscape (airscape?) and serves as a reminder of just how vast our land area really is. (ps: Malaysia has 100 airports!) In A String of Thought, I reflect on a familiar habit of ours: the tendency to lose interest (ghost?) in maintenance once something shiny and new has been built.

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Blaming Ghosts Is Easier

There is something oddly comforting about blaming ghosts. When a building leaks, cracks, or quietly falls into disrepair, unseen forces make a convenient culprit. Ghosts absolve us of responsibility. Maintenance, by contrast, is mundane, repetitive, and expensive. It demands attention long after the ribbon cutting ceremony is over. Blaming the supernatu…

4 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

]]><![CDATA[RM106B Investment In 5 Years]]>https://www.thesarawakian.com/p/rm106b-investment-in-5-yearshttps://www.thesarawakian.com/p/rm106b-investment-in-5-yearsSat, 06 Dec 2025 23:47:08 GMTAs the year winds down, Abang Jo reports encouraging progress on Sarawak’s economic growth. Still, the path to 2030 remains demanding. Doubling the state’s GDP in the next five years is no small harvest. He calls the coming period a time when earlier investments will finally bear fruit. Let’s hope the orchard delivers.

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Education will take on fresh importance next year. The Free Tertiary Education scheme begins, and high-potential Sarawakians will have the chance to pursue studies at Cambridge with government backing. These are long-term seeds whose fruit may only appear years, even decades, from now. It’s worth noting that few politicians invest in efforts that ripen beyond an election cycle.

On the subject of long-term cultivation, Singapore has received approval to open a consulate office in Sarawak. This week’s infographic highlights the countries that planted diplomatic roots here earlier, and how Singapore is now joining that landscape.

This week’s A String Of Thought offers a light reflection on journeys worth taking, if only to catch the sunrise in the east and the sunset in the west. Sometimes the sweetest memories come from simply looking up and noticing where we are.

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The Road Yet To Be Taken

I recently discovered the concept of UNESCO pilgrimage hikes. It turns out that when some people talk about “pilgrimage hiking” today, they are really referring to two specific routes on opposite sides of the world: the Kumano Kodo in Japan and the Camino de Santiago in Spain. They are often spoken of…

4 months ago · Mooreyameen Mohamad

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