KUCHING, Dec 9: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg will be conducting the graduation ceremony for the first group of Pool of Young Designers (Poyod) from Sarawak at the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia, one of the most prestigious universities in the republic.
They will hold the graduation ceremony on the morning of December 11, where the Chief Minister is to deliver a keynote address. Also expected to speak at the ceremony is Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
According to IBT in a statement, Poyod is a two-year programme jointly developed and implemented by Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), furniture industry players and other related agencies.
The institute said that the programme aims to raise and develop young graduates to become skilled designers and the objective is to provide the furniture industry with home-grown designers to develop the furniture industry in line with STIDC’s vision to transform the timber industry into a high-value industry by 2030.
IBT revealed that in 2018, an agreement was signed between STIDC and Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) to improve the ability of Poyod comprising six Poyod members, with one Indonesian involved to learn more about furniture design from various aspects of one year-term furniture design training programme organised by Faculty of Art and Design ITB (FSRD ITB).
“This is also to give greater emphasis and focus on the growth and value-added development especially in the furniture industry sector,” the statement said.
IBT said that they will exhibit the results of the training programme at the Tortona Milan Design Week in Italy, in April 2020.
“The final design is expected to grow awareness of the importance of the presence of the design environment in every aspect of the state of Sarawak.
“We all hope that this activity will further strengthen the collaboration among designers of both countries; it extends and enhances the image of authentic contemporary ASEAN design,” said IBT.
The Sarawakian students are Rudy Edy, Robica Sapok Tingang, Iwan Hamdan, Calvin Renang Tumbai, Nurul Hidayu Ahmad Mortadza and Mohd Sazrin Jamali. —DayakDaily
