Archive for category: Featured News

Kuching (Sarawak), Thursday, 4 February 2016 – The students who starred in Tunku Putra School’s (TPS) heralded performance of Disney’s ‘Aladdin Jr’, which dazzled the audiences in August 2015, are celebrating outstanding IGCSE results. Karen Kim, who enchanted the audience with portrayal of Genie was amongst the highest achievers with seven A* and A grades, closely followed by Rebecca Topping (Aladdin) with six.

Congratulations are also accorded to Joel Kueh as the highest achieving student of the year group with seven A* and A grades at IGCSE level and an A grade in A/S level Mandarin.

Overall students performed well, with 88% of the Year Eleven students achieving five or more A* – C grades, the standard recognised as automatically allowing students to proceed to higher education.

Six current Year Eleven students are also delighted with their success in achieving A* grades in English (3), Mathematics (2) and Bahasa Malaysia (1) a year early.

Joel and Rebecca, along with seven of their fellow students were also rewarded for six months’ of challenge and meeting demanding targets in chosen skill and physical performance and contributing to the community with the Bronze Level Certificate of the International Award (formerly known as the Duke of Edinburgh Award). Now offered as part of the Enrichment Curriculum Programme, the International Award, recognised as one of the world’s leading initiatives for young people, enables students aged between fourteen and twenty-five to learn practical skills that are valuable to their personal and professional development.

TPS is likewise pleased to put on record the academic success of National Primary Six students in the 2015 Primary School Assessment Test (UPSR) registering a School Average Grade or G.P.S. is 1.47 against a Sarawak State G.P.S. of 2.48. Likewise, we are very pleased to note that our Form Three students achieved 100% pass in English, Mathematics, Science, Islamic Studies, History, Geography, Living Skills (KHB), Chinese Language and 94.1% in Malay Language in the Form Three (PT3) 2015 examinations.

Noteworthy success is similarly recorded by Alden Ong from National Primary Three (2015) for achieving third position in the recently held Malaysia International Mathematics Olympiad Competition (MIMO) 2015, which took place in Selangor.

“Our belief that every student is a unique individual who can be helped to achieve their potential in all areas of academic, social, emotional, moral, spiritual and physical development is reflected in the range of successes that we are able to share with you”, commented the Principal.

“We are delighted with the academic achievements of our students throughout the School,” she continued; “they are committed to their studies and consistently strive to improve on their previous best, supported and encouraged by committed and capable teachers in a nurturing educational environment.”

Kuching (Sarawak), Tuesday, 8 December 2015 – To maintain the quality of our cement manufacturing and supply businesses and our other ongoing business investments to support the state’s socio-economic growth, CMS Cement Sdn Bhd (CMS Cement) today announced that it will be adjusting its cement prices upwards by an average of 4.6% effective 1st January 2016, due to the depreciation of the Ringgit.

The sustained major depreciation of the Ringgit since January 2015 has created an unprecedented increase in the cost of cement production, as over 60% of the key raw materials used to make cement namely clinker and gypsum are bought in USD. In addition, the equipment and spare parts for machinery and all shipping costs are paid for in USD. As at mid-November 2015, it was reported that the Ringgit recorded a 24.8% year-to-date loss, and a 30.9% deprecation over the same period last year. This steep decline in the Ringgit has resulted in major increases in raw material prices since early 2015.

Group Managing Director of Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad, parent company of CMS Cement, Dato’ Richard Curtis said: “Our commitment is to the state’s growth and in order for us to achieve this vision, tough but essential measures need to be implemented. At group level, we have absorbed the significant impact of the unfavourable foreign exchange rate since the beginning of the year. Various strategic measures have been implemented to control our production costs, however the increase in costs due to the major decline in the Ringgit has seriously impacted the cement division and the group’s profitability. If continued, this will not allow us to fulfil our long term commitment to the growth of the state.”

Additionally, CMS Cement has invested over RM56 million in the last six years to improve its pan-State distribution capabilities, including its two cement terminals in Miri and Sibu. This is further to the RM80 million invested in upgrading its clinker plant’s production capacity and to improve its operational efficiencies and production quality and to the latest investment of RM200 million in the 1 million mt cement grinding plant at Mambong outside Kuching, scheduled to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2016. This new plant will increase CMS Cement’s production capacity by over 60% and will enable projected growth in cement demand in the state to be met for many more years to come.

“CMS Cement’s commitment has and will always be to ensure the state’s vision of growth and development is realised. As one of the key local private sector investors in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) and a major supplier of construction materials and services in the state, we understand that we must ensure the Group’s various businesses are kept fully optimised in terms of meeting the state’s growing needs. Rest assured that this will never be compromised by us,” added Dato’ Richard.