MIRI: Miri City Council (MCC) and Universiti of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on research and development of sustainable ecosystem initiatives here today.
Mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang represented his council while UNIMAS Board of Directors chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Sulong Matjeraie signed on behalf of the university.
Institute of Social Informatics and Technological Innovations (ISITI), the research arm of UNIMAS, will handle the initiatives.
The MoU paves the way to strengthen, promote and develop cooperation on research, consultancy and academia, focusing on community-based activities of mutual benefit for the people in Miri and Bario sub-districts in areas of tourism, agriculture and other related activities.
“Miri City Council is being chosen for the joint-venture programme due to the fact that it is one of the leading major councils in Sarawak which has marked performance in sustainable development on environment and outstanding records in terms of service delivery, infrastructure development as well as revenue collection,” a statement from the council said.
Also present at the signing ceremony were UNIMAS vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi, ISITI director Professor Dr Narayanan Kulathuramaiyer, deputy mayor Julaihi Mohamad, MCC secretary Abdul Rahman Taupek and Dr Philip Raja, a leading community leader from Bario.