OXFORD: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg launched the Sarawak Sabbatical Programme at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) here on Monday (May 8).
The programme is a Sarawak government initiative to provide training to Sarawak civil servants on sabbatical and to encourage and enable them to enhance their professional skills.
Abang Johari also inaugurated the Sarawak Wing at OCIS as part of the endowment initiative and collaboration between OCIS and the Sarawak government.
OCIS, under the patronage of the former Prince of Wales and now King of England, is a recognised independent centre of the Oxford University and a registered educational charity that encourages the scholarly study of Islam and the Islamic world.
Abang Johari, in his brief address during lunch, hoped the centre will also extend its research sphere into the study of sustainability, decarbonisation and the green economy to keep abreast of current world actions to mitigate climate change.
He said Sarawak is well-poised to be part of the global order against climate change with various initiatives already in place towards decarbonisation, energy transition and the development of renewables.
“In fact, I have to fly back to Kuching to launch a new technology to produce sustainable aviation fuel from algae on Wednesday (May 10),” he told the diners.
The sabbatical programme covers a range of tailored courses based on the need and requirement of officers for two months.
Earlier, upon arrival the Premier met with the centre’s director Dr Farhan Nizami.
Accompanying the Premier were Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development I (Education and Innovation) Datuk Dr. Annuar Rapaee, Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Office Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Syed Aman Ghazali and Chief Political Secretary to the Premier Fazzruddin Abdul Rahman.
