Produce Creative Youths

‘Broadband For 1Malaysia’, a video production by participants of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Ulu Sugut had won the third place in the 2011Youth League Competition for Sabah after defeating 96 SMKs that took part. SMK Ulu Sugut was represented by Fymilla Jessica Nandoh, Enjellin Binti Aliksius, Herthy Lasimin and Santa Ceceila Francis. According to Roslan Mohamad, SKMM Content and Industry Development Director, the aim of the competition was to educate the youths about basic skills and production in storytelling and equipment. In addition, it also sought to inspire excitement among Malaysian teenagers of the potential and opportunities in content industry.

Creative Youth League is the best local production content competition that encompassed state and national levels. Content production can be in the form of documentaries, short sketches, advertisement or community service messages. The Creative Youth League Competition is opened to all secondary school students throughout Malaysia with the duration of each entry being three to seven minutes. Roslan said that SKMM planned to make the Creative Youth League as an annual event because of its potential to generate income for the country. Although Malaysia is relatively new in the industry as compared to United States and India, the success of the animation Upin and Ipin in penetrating the Indonesian market is truly something to be proud of. Nevertheless, success should not stopped here but made continuous by producing Upin and Ipin product labels as well as a theme park that contains characters like those of Disneyland, comics and more. (Last Update: 26 April 2011)

The History Of SK Malinsau

Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Malinsau was built in 1929 on a piece of land situated near a paddy field. The building was made of wood while the roof was made of nipah leaves. The school’s first Headmaster was the late Haji Ishak Ahmad. Six years later in 1934, the school’s site increased by another hectare with additional land contributed by the villagers.

With the additional land, two more blocks of wooden building were built by the villagers to enable the village children to pursue their primary school education. The new blocks were able to house six classrooms accommodating about 140 students. In 1962, another block was built giving space for an additional nine classrooms with 220 students. In 1975, the school obtained its first building made of concrete which was opened officially by the then Education Minister, YB Dato’ Dr Mahathir Mohammad. It was also the same year that a new 69-kilometre laterite road was built linking the school with the town of Ranau. With the completion of the road also saw Kampung Malinsau which was previously under Beluran District placed under Ranau District. With the move also Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Malinsau came under the supervision of the Ranau District Office.

Between the year 1983 until 1994, SK Malinsau was also jointly used by Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Ulu Sugut Malinsau before the latter has its own premises in Kampung Kaingaran. Due to the joint usage, the government added another six classrooms to accommodate Form 1 to Form 3 students. In the year 2004, another branch of SK Malinsau located in Kampung Nasakot which is about six kilometres from the main school was also used to conduct classes. The school was able to accommodate more than 100 Year 1 until Year 6 students. The day–to-day administration was handled by a Supervisor and several teachers and reporting to the Headmaster based at the main school. (KK8: 18 January, 2011)

Existence of SMK Timbua Since 1985

Apart from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan(SMK) Ulu Sugud, the middle level education for children of Kampung Malinsau and the surrounding villages are also provided at the SMK Timbua, Ranau or better known as SEMETRA. SEMETRA was first occupied by the five educators, including a principal, Suhaibul Suriman and 35 Form 1 students in early 1985. At that time, the learning session was held at (SK) Timbua located about 300 meters from the present school. To accommodate the growing student population, in 1986, two school buildings were built specifically for the use of students in the secondary learning center. That situation has led to the State Education Department to add three more teachers and two support staff to be located here. At the same time, the number of students including Forms 1 and 2 increased by 62 bringing the total to about 97 people.

A year later, the Form 2 students were given the opportunity to pursue their studies in this school and they had a chance to sit for Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) examination of Malaysia. Although that was their first batch of students sitting for the public examination, SMK Timbua has proven its ability when 80 percent of the students passed the examination. In 1989, the school once again recorded its great achievement when the number of students who pass the examinations reached the level of 100 percent. Touching on the establishment of SMK Timbua, the existence of the school was run by several former leaders of the village in collaboration with the Director of Education, the late Haji Affandi Angkangon. The name of the school which is located 40 kilometers from the town of Ranau is believed to have been associated to the story of mystical 'timbua stones' found at Sugut River by the local population. Timbua School was inaugurated by former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, YB Tan Sri Kasitah Gadam in November 1988. (KK7: November 8, 2010)

Appreciate Knowledge, Seek Knowledge Is The Target Of The Malinsau

Despite being in a rural area, it is not a deterrent for the community in Malinsau to obtain knowledge and equip themselves with knowledge and skills, as they will be at par with those who are living in the city. In general, the village people here can read, spell, write well regardless children or until adults. The rate of illiterates are now at the minimum as emphasis to knowledge has been instilled by parents to their children making the percentage of illiterates here are quite low as compared to other rural area elsewhere. Aside that, the teaching and help by the teaching force in schools have instilled the love towards knowledge where school becomes a second home to the students there.

In Malinsau, there is two primary schools provided by the government which are the Malinsau National School and Sri Gabungan National School. Both these schools happen to be a famous education institution among the locals where they send their children to receive formal education like other children. Thus, they provide primary education from year one until year six. Both these schools also provide pre-schools to children below six years old before entering primary school. Both the Timbua Secondary School and Ulu Sugud Secondary school which are located around 20 km in between from Malinsau happens to be two secondary education institution that is being chosen by the locals especially the student who wants to further in secondary level.