r/Sarawak

From free education, completed mega projects and ongoing ventures, I honestly admire to how far Sarawak has progressed growing up. Especially gaining more attention & public opinions from both the West Malaysia and far East Malaysia and at times, internationally.

However, I fear that I don’t think I can contribute career wise towards this state given the current rate that the working class make. I know a someone personally in Kuching that’s in a senior executive position—in a really known company, that’s almost retiring and still gets paid ridiculously low despite the workload and position—so low, that their family is eligible for bursary and financial aids.

My friends have been applying to jobs for semester breaks but only go far as job interviews without getting hired. When I was in KL, I got hired for my 2nd time application and able to live comfortably in a studio home back in 2024. And splurge myself from time to time and I applied without prior working experiences. Literally out of secondary school, after a few months break.

I have had a job interview in Kuching but employers would make me feel like I’m a bad person for wanting a liveable salary higher than low wages. Maybe not explicitly saying it but they tried so hard to lowball my value by making me feel spoiled or something.

Also I really hate the excuse of ‘business not doing well’ these employers make justifying why my friend should be payed less than minimum wage for 7 years and half of that wage starting college (full grown adult btw).

I eventually lower my expectations and accepting a part time job that pays RM50/day without complaining because I really needed money at that time. But this just puts me in a cognitive dissonance. Honestly I feel awful and I don’t think I want to be here anymore. I don’t even have any loans or commitments yet adding to that (Not that I plan to do so).

Do you think employers genuinely lowball local employees? Because from what I’ve been noticing, I have international friends that get’s hired and get treated fairly literally where I came from.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOOOVE Sarawak to the moon and back but if this is how my life is going to be then, I don’t think it’s worth it to stay. Even though I desperately want to build a life here.

And I’m not just talking about myself. I understand a little bit of economy and just wonder of the broader implications—if everybody feels the same and how it impacts the overall situation for Sarawakians looking for a better future in the same breath of the state sustaining their local talents.

This is currently how I feel. Because I have no one to say this to it’s either they invalidate my experiences or make me feel like I’m just entitled and opinionated or both. I just hope someone can read this and respond in a new light. Im really not in the right headspace just thinking about this.

Hello r/sarawak,

Sometime this month I applied for Swinburne and Curtin as an outsider, and the only one that has come back to me so far is Curtin and I am wondering what can I look forward to in Miri if I were to take Curtin instead of waiting for the Swinburne offer letter to come in. For context I am gonna be taking my degree so I'm around that age and until recently i have been studying&living in KL for my diploma so i wanted to know how much of my "budak bandar" lifestyle would change if i skipped the major city. Oh and to add one more thing, all my friends are in Kuching, i know no one in Miri

thank you

has anyone applied through the PETROS job portal before? just wondering if they decide not to proceed with your application will the status in the portal be updated or do they not update it at all?

SIBU (Aug 16): Sarawak and Sabah should consider establishing a home-grown Chinese-language institution of higher education to better serve the Chinese community and strengthen education ties in East Malaysia, said Soon Choon Hoo.

The Sibu Eng Ann Teng Tua Peh Kong Temple Charitable Trust chairman said West Malaysia already had institutions of higher learning supported by the Chinese community, but Sarawak and Sabah still lacked a Chinese-language institution that truly belonged to the region.

“If we want Chinese education to form a complete educational pathway, we cannot stop at primary and secondary education and then send our students elsewhere.

“We should seriously consider whether we can establish an institution of higher learning in East Malaysia that has its own East Malaysian character, places Chinese-language education and Chinese culture among its important foundations, while also responding to the needs of modern society, technology, business, education, culture and social development,” he said during the presentation of grants to five Chinese independent secondary schools here yesterday.

The five schools are SM Catholic High, SM Wong Nai Siong, SM Kiang Hin Middle School, SM Guong Ming Middle School and SM Citizen Middle School.

Each school received a RM15,000 contribution from the Temple Charitable Trust.

Soon said such an institution would not necessarily be limited to producing students majoring in Chinese studies, but could offer fields including education, history, culture, business, technology, information technology, tourism and social sciences.

He said Chinese could serve as an important medium of teaching and academic communication, while the institution could nurture young people equipped to contribute to the development of East Malaysian society.

“I know that this is a very ambitious vision. From planning and fundraising to faculty recruitment, curriculum development, accreditation and administration, establishing a university college is by no means a simple undertaking.

“But that is precisely why it is called a vision. It may require one generation to initiate and perhaps several generations to complete,” he said.

Soon said focusing only on immediate problems would limit education to addressing short-term needs.

“But if we are willing to look 20 or 30 years into the future, everything we do today could become the foundation for the next generation,” he said.

He reiterated that the temple’s support for Chinese independent schools was not because they belonged to any particular organisation, nor was education merely a matter for the Chinese community.

“Ultimately, education affects the whole of society. A society needs talent in order to progress. People need culture in order to preserve their identity, and a region needs its own educational strength in order to develop,” he said.

Moving forward, Soon said the temple was willing to continue engaging with boards of directors of Chinese independent schools, principals, educators and various community organisations to explore the future development of Chinese education in East Malaysia.

“I believe that as long as we are willing to cooperate and take the first step, many things that seem beyond our reach today may become possible in the future.

“Eng Ann Teng Tua Peh Kong Temple may be a temple, but we deeply believe that a temple can safeguard faith, schools can safeguard culture, and education can safeguard the future of a people.

“In the future, we hope to work together with all of you to build a broader, longer and more hopeful path for Chinese education in East Malaysia.

“Let us work together to safeguard Chinese-language education, nurture talent in East Malaysia, preserve Chinese culture and build a better future,” he said

Does anyone know where you can find local diy gigs in Kuching? Any genre is fine, just a tight knit space of musicians and music enjoyers.

Today it took me 1 hour to drive 10km (from Padungan area to Green Heights area). What’s going on with our traffic these days, and I’m doubting it’s just cause of ART.

From my observation,

1. some cars are going too slow on the right lane holding up traffic
2. We are very scared to enter roundabouts (even when there’s a completely empty outer most lane)
3. We’re too slow to move when the lights turn green

Would putting a minimum speed limit help? Put traffic lights at roundabouts? Interchanging traffic direction/ lanes?

I really doubt even with ART eventually done, that it will solve our traffic issues. Something more needs to be done on our roads.

hi i am one of the stpm leaver this year and i just got my upu result. i got TESL in uitm which is based in puncak alam kampus, selangor.

although they didn’t show it, but i know for a fact my parents felt berat hati to let me go study jauh in another state. plus, the financial burden living there. hence, i'm reconsider my decision to apply for FTES at swinburne kuching to study one of the few business courses that is actually covered by FTES.

what would you choose? i felt so overwhelmed. i don’t want to be my parent's burden. i want to apply for swinburne after this and i just need someone to tell me my decision is right.

I am taking a break from university for about 7 months. In this 7 months, I’m trying to find part time jobs but i have been consistently finding and no one wanna hire a part timer. Please recommend me some jobs or anything ty!

A bit of context here, I’ve been running for the past 2 years solo, not with friends (initially they lured me into running during university but they quit just after few months cz their intention is to get girls, like cmon la…)

Since then, I just run on my own for my own fitness 🏃🏻. I’m so obsessed into running in which I run 7KM daily (without miss), I feel guilty if I miss my daily run xD.
Like I said, I run solo for 2 years and feel kinda bored and lonely. Just wondering is there any running club I can join in Kuching? Preferably more youngsters one, Cz all I seen and known are mostly uncles and aunties 😅

Can anyone tell me how it is at swinburne? the teachers, people, environment, club activities, whats best to avoid? Pros and cons? Anything, spill it please 😵‍💫

Bro this fucking haze is definitely worsen like every other year and its currently 190+ in samarahan. can the indonesian government just do something or is the bribe too good like a fucking 10 inch dragon dildo.. cant even go for jog now, instead of increasing lung health shit gonna make me 3 metre away from the afterlife for fuck sake

So here's the thing: I remember I could walk into any government dental clinic during my schooling years, but now it's all appointment-based. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I called the Batu Kawa dental clinic, and they mentioned all appointments must be done through the mysejahtera app. I tried securing an appointment since last month but to no avail, not even one slot is available.

I originally wanted to do a general checkup and scaling.

And I recently tried waiting till 12am hoping that the system would refresh and an available slot would appear but nothing not even one slot.

Also now, I find my gums swollen, and I suspect it's an impacted wisdom tooth.

And before anyone suggests a private dental clinic, no, I don't have the finances to do so.

Therefore, I really do need advices on how to get an appointment or, can I just walk in.

Updates:

1.)I walked into the Batu Kawa dental clinic yesterday, and they had a small piece of paper to fill in.

2.) The counter had an appointment and walk-in section.

3.)They only accept card/paywave only.

4.)It was a pleasant experience.

5.)The dentist will set up the next appointment for follow-up if necessary

hi, can I know how long does petros kuching take to reply after an interview for the finance department?

Hey guys,are there bookshops/bookstores in kuching which sells preloved english fiction/non fiction books?

Kinda curious cuz most of the bookstores only sells revision books for school kids and malay romance novels haha

Arigato

I have been craving dim sum for the longest time, but every time i pointed out a famous dim sum place, he told me the chef has switched and the food downgraded. Any places in kuching, especially kuching town area, with nice dim sum?