Press Release

BELAGA, Sarawak, 11 August 2008 – Sime Darby Berhad has contributed RM260,000 towards building two additional classroom blocks for students of SMK Bakun Sungai Asap. The aid by Sime Darby will cater for an extra 210 students who will join SMK Bakun Sungai Asap in January 2009. There are 517 secondary students currently sharing classroom space with the neighbouring students of SK Batu Keling.

The construction of the blocks will commence this month and will take approximately three months to complete. It is estimated that the classrooms will be ready for use before new school year starts in January.

Present at the tour of the school and cheque presentation ceremony was Sime Darby board member and Chairman of the Supervisory Council of the company’s Energy division, Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali.

Sime Darby President & Group Chief Executive, Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid commented that, “This initiative is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programme to ensure that the communities in and near Bakun have access to better standards of education facilities for their children.”

Receiving the cheque on behalf of the building committee was the community leader of the Kayan-Kenyah people in Sungai Asap, Pemanca Umek Jeno. The project has recently been awarded to a local contractor in Sungai Asap. Sungai Asap is a predominantly 15,000 strong Kayan-Kenyah community in the Belaga district, three hours drive from the town of Bintulu. Of that, almost 10 per cent of the community is still schooling.