Latest news with #Hamden
Borneo Post
12-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sarawak's forests generate up to RM3.5 bln annually in economic value, says Forest Department director
Hamden delivers his welcoming speech at the event. – Photo by Jude Toyat KUCHING (July 12): Sarawak's forests contribute an estimated RM2.8 billion to RM3.5 billion annually to the state's economy through both tangible and intangible values, said Sarawak Forest Department director Datu Hamden Mohammad. This underscores the immense economic importance of the forest ecosystem, extending beyond timber production, he said. In terms of tangible value, Sarawak's 7.65 million hectares of forests generate between RM2.1 billion and RM2.5 billion annually — including RM1.5 billion from timber and non-timber products, RM300 million to RM500 million from ecotourism, RM230 million to RM380 million from carbon, and RM50 million to RM100 million from bioprospecting and pharmaceuticals. For intangible values, the forests are estimated to contribute between RM750 million and RM1 billion each year. This includes RM600 million to RM800 million from ecosystem services, RM100 million from health and recreation, and RM50 million to RM100 million from cultural heritage. The estimated value of carbon stock alone ranges from RM20 billion to RM40 billion. 'Sarawak's forests hold priceless treasures, from tangible resources to unseen natural blessings. 'Their total value is estimated to reach RM2.8 billion to RM3.5 billion annually, a natural heritage that must be preserved for generations to come,' he said in his welcoming speech at the state-level celebration of the International Day of Forests (IDF) 2025, held at the Forest Research Centre here today. Themed 'Forests and Food', this year's IDF event which was officiated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, aimed to highlight the importance of forests as sources of sustainable food, income, and traditional knowledge. 'Sarawak is rich in biodiversity and culture, and many communities rely on forests not just for timber, but also for food, medicine, and spiritual needs. 'For example, wild kelulut honey from Ulu Baram and Kapit contributes to both the health industry and local income. Herbs such as tongkat ali, medicinal roots, and forest mushrooms are recognised as superfoods, and the Penan community possesses extensive ethnobotanical knowledge, which is now being studied by both local and international researchers,' said Hamden. He explained that over 60 per cent of Sarawak's land area is still forested, providing crucial services such as disaster mitigation, water catchment, biodiversity conservation, and carbon storage. 'These forests are home to over 8,000 plant species and 200 mammal species, and they also hold immense cultural and spiritual value for local communities,' he added. Hamden also shared several key achievements under Sarawak's forest conservation efforts. Among them is the early success of the state's 35-million-tree planting target, which has now surpassed 50 million trees as of today. 'On June 8, 2024, the Premier himself planted the 35 millionth tree. Today, we have reached 50 million trees — well ahead of our 2025 target,' he said. He added that more than 1.2 million hectares of land have been gazetted as Totally Protected Areas (TPAs), while forest restoration, plantation development, and community-based logging initiatives involving the Penan, Iban, and Lun Bawang communities continue to expand. 'Technologies such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), drones, and artificial intelligence are also being used to improve forest monitoring and data collection,' said Hamden. He also acknowledged the support of various partners including the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), Sarawak Timber Association (STA), Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd, government agencies, NGOs, the private sector, media, and the organising committee. The event also featured the official launch of the Forest Resources One Stop Gallery, developed under the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12) with a federal allocation of RM1.105 million. 'This gallery will serve as a hub for learning, research, and promotion of forest-based products from Sarawak,' said Hamden. More than 20 exhibition booths were set up, with participation from local communities showcasing forest-based products such as madu kelulut, nira nipah, and gula apong. The ceremony also included a signing of memorandums of understanding (MoU) between the Forest Department, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), aimed at strengthening multi-stakeholder cooperation for high-impact sustainable forest initiatives. Hamden then called on all parties to continue working together to preserve Sarawak's forest heritage. 'Let us not allow forests to remain only on maps, but ensure they flourish and benefit future generations. 'As the saying goes: If we care for nature, Insya-Allah, nature will care for us,' he added. environmental Hamden Mohammad sarawak economy Sarawak Forests Department
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic state representative for Hamden launches bid for Connecticut governor
HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Josh Elliott, a Democratic state representative for the 88th District of Hamden, has filed paperwork to run for the governor of Connecticut. Gov. Ned Lamont, a two-term incumbent who has drawn on vast personal wealth to power his campaigns, has not yet declared his intentions for next year's election. Earlier last month, the governor said he's grown more inclined to seek a third term. Republican State Sen. Ryan Fazio told News 8 last month he is 'strongly considering' entering the race for governor. Erin Stewart, the Republican mayor of New Britain, is actively exploring a campaign for governor. Westport First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, a declared candidate for governor, is another Republican who has found electoral success in a suburb that has rejected Republican candidates further up the ballot. Fairfield attorney Peter Lumaj has formed an exploratory campaign for a statewide office, but unlike Stewart, he has not indicated which office he is eyeing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
05-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Principles of the 24-hour athlete: How meal planning, journaling and OT can give a prospect an edge
The 19-year-old who arrived in Hamden, Conn., in 2013 was skilled with the puck. He could skate as well as any 1994-born Canadian defenseman. He took over games with his talent. But in 2012 and 2013, his first two draft-eligible years, NHL Central Scouting left him unranked among North American skaters. No NHL team considered him worthy of selection. Advertisement Devon Toews started his college career at Quinnipiac as an undrafted defenseman who left his watchers wanting more. 'The first two years, he'd be the first guy off the ice, last guy on the ice — wouldn't do any extra work,' Quinnipiac strength and conditioning coach Brijesh Patel recalls. 'But he was still one of our best players because he was talented.' As a freshman, Toews scored one goal and 16 assists. In 2014, the New York Islanders drafted the 20-year-old in the fourth round. The left-shot defenseman scored 20 points as a sophomore. Before his junior season, Toews approached Patel with a query. Could he help him get faster? Patel had been waiting for this. He knew the defenseman had multiple levels of improvement. But it had to come from Toews. By then, Toews was buying into a notion Patel had been selling: the mindset of the 24-hour athlete. Quinnipiac is an NCAA heavyweight. The Bobcats beat Minnesota to win the 2023 championship. Under coach Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac has won the most league games in the ECAC for the last five seasons. For all that, Quinnipiac is not top of mind. None of the players from the U.S. National Team Development Program's most recent Under-18 and U-17 rosters has committed to Quinnipiac. 'We might not get the most skilled players,' Patel says. 'We get guys who don't mind the grind, who are willing to get uncomfortable. And they're not going to shy away from it. Connor Clifton's a great one. Willing to do anything. Those are the guys that get attracted to come to Quinnipiac. Because they understand they can go from undrafted player to potentially signing a pro contract.' Toews fit the Quinnipiac profile. He played for multiple teams in British Columbia before settling in with the Surrey Eagles of the BCHL. As a skilled and slight puck-moving defenseman, Toews found himself overlooked. Advertisement 'My whole career has kind of been a late-blooming career,' Toews says. 'That's motivation to me. I thought I had the ability to play at this level and to keep moving up levels throughout the ranks. I was always a smaller guy, kind of put aside.' Toews, now 31, is 10 years removed from his third and final college season. He averaged 24:35 of ice time per game in 2024-25, 11th among NHL defensemen. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion concluded the first season of a seven-year, $50.75 million contract. None of this might have happened without a change in attitude. Patel has been at Quinnipiac since 2008. He has helped train 17 rosters of players who push hard on the ice, in the weight room and in class. Not all of them initially understood that each component depends on the other. 'Success doesn't happen in a vacuum,' Patel says. 'Their ability to improve their sporting ability doesn't just happen in the arena or in the gym or in the weight room, wherever they're going to compete and whenever they're going to train. It's getting them to understand that the things they do outside the gym and outside the arena are going to directly impact the things they can do when they're in the gym and in the arena. Because we might train — we might practice for two, three hours a day. Sometimes, your habits you have off the ice or away from the gym can undo exactly what you did within those two or three hours of what you did in the gym.' As an example, Patel cites a typical player who endures training and practice. Fatigue and soreness are initially expected. All of that work can go to waste, however, if the player continues full gas without a step back. The body strengthens during recovery. Proper diet, hydration and sleep are essential. 'The whole concept of being a 24-hour athlete is just truly understanding that just because you train and work out for two or three hours a day, that's not the only time you're an athlete,' Patel says. 'You have to think like an athlete the rest of the day. Because all the effort you put into developing discipline and habits are going to directly impact your ability to be the best you can be when you get to the rink and the gym.' Advertisement During the season, the Bobcats usually work out at 9:45 a.m. Practice follows, typically from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The players are not given a wake-up time. But they are instructed to leave enough time for breakfast. A sample meal could be an omelet, oatmeal and blueberries. On-the-run players with morning class could cut a corner by mixing protein powder and peanut butter into oatmeal cups. If they do not eat enough in the morning, they will be underfueled for workouts and practices. That would compromise the entire window. A player practicing on an empty stomach, for example, might run out of gas at the end of the session. In the next game, Pecknold might hesitate to use that player for a last-minute shift. Protein shakes are available after workouts and practice. Lunch is sometimes served after practice at the rink. Then players usually go to class. They are on their own for dinner. Patel tells players who want to gain weight to eat until they feel stuffed. The 24-hour clock does not stop ticking for players at night. Homework, study sessions and socializing must be completed promptly. Sleep is non-negotiable, especially for still-growing players. A 2 a.m. video game binge unspools the progress made earlier. 'Sleep,' Patel says, 'is the cheapest way you can recover.' To promote good sleep hygiene, Patel suggests deep breathing, stretching, meditation, journaling and turning screens off early. He does not hold anyone's hand. 'You can't do it for them,' Patel says. 'You can't create the conditions for them. You need to teach them and empower them to have ownership over their own process of their development.' This is how Toews found another level. Every Tuesday and Thursday, a 21-year-old Toews dedicated himself to extra speed work under Patel's watch. Others joined in. Soon enough, Toews was leading a group of teammates. Advertisement Away from the weight room, Toews started eating better. He committed himself to recovery. He spent more time developing his skills in practice. He added muscle. He got faster. A good college hockey player became a difference-maker. To this day, Toews tells Patel that what he learned in the weight room made him a better pro. 'You could be great, but you need to work on these habits,' Patel recalls telling Toews earlier in his career. 'At some point, he must have just been sick and tired of it. Or he started to believe in himself. I don't know what that answer is. But it is this concept of being a 24-hour athlete. It's this concept of understanding that you can be more and do more. But it's a direct result of the discipline you develop in committing to the process of development.' It was probably not a coincidence that Toews scored a career-high 30 points in his junior year. On April 9, 2016, Quinnipiac lost to North Dakota in the championship game. One week later, Toews signed his entry-level contract. 'You make your opportunities,' Toews says. 'You learn from your failures and the things people have done to you. I have no ill will on anyone. I've been cut from teams where I feel like I'm part of it. It just motivates me to keep going, keep pushing through and get to the level I want to be.' You may think this around-the-clock process was hard for Toews to follow. Yes and no, according to Patel. 'We don't say things are hard. We say they're challenging,' Patel says. 'If they're challenged — if they have the right mindset and we shift it — we can overcome that challenge if we have a high degree of effort we place toward the task. But if we view things as obstacles and they're just hard, sometimes a wall just gets put up and we're like, 'Ah, I'm not going to do that.'' From Patel's viewpoint, words matter. They impact the mind, which impacts body language, which impacts performance. So in the weight room, players greet each other with, 'Great morning.' Positive diction rules the day. Advertisement As for other principles, Patel insists on three: accountability, respect, work ethic. 'If you bring those three things to practice, Rand can help you get better,' Patel says. 'If you don't work hard and don't compete, that's going to take away from your ability to get better. If you're not treating yourself with respect by staying up late, by not eating the right foods, by not speaking to yourself in a positive way, that's going to directly impact your ability to perform. So we get them to understand how everything is connected. That ultimately goes to the concept of the 24-hour athlete. Everything matters. It's not just one thing. Everything matters.' (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic, with photos from iStock)
Borneo Post
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
‘Blame game solves nothing': S'wak deputy minister tells civil servants to own integrity
(From left) Juanda listens as Hamden explains enforcement procedures during forest operations. At third left is Hasbilah. BINTULU (July 3): Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Integrity and Ombudsman), Dato Dr Juanda Jaya, has urged all levels of government administration to uphold integrity and accountability, stressing that playing the 'blame game' will never solve systemic issues. Speaking at the Sarawak Forest Department Integrity Day 2025 event here today, he cited a past case involving the Welfare Department that became problematic due to negligence and a lack of proper scrutiny. 'Integrity issues involve all parties. Blaming one another will not solve the problem,' he said. 'Everyone responsible for approving projects must thoroughly read and understand what they are signing. Whether you agree or disagree, your signature reflects your integrity.' Dr Juanda also highlighted a small-scale project, the construction of a food stall costing under RM500,000, as an example of poor planning and oversight. 'We saw a toilet that looked like it came from the Roman era, with flooring built higher than the exterior. When asked about it, the agencies involved began pointing fingers at one another. But all the drawings had been signed off,' he said. As such, he reminded civil servants and officials to take the time to verify if a project is logical and meets specifications before granting approval. 'Once you sign, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will not ask whether it was someone above or below you. Anyone involved in regulatory breaches will be investigated on why it was approved and the justification for it,' he cautioned. Commenting on the event, Dr Juanda praised its theme, 'From Seeds to Canopies Everything Matter', noting that it accurately reflects the importance of nurturing integrity at every level, from the lowest ranks to top management. 'If the foundation is flawed, those at the top will also face consequences. Corruption cases can take years to investigate. Don't assume you'll get away with it, every mistake and wrongdoing carries consequences, whether sooner or later,' he added. Adding on, he also condemned the mindset influenced by false teaching. 'Some believe it's acceptable for the powerful to take more and the small ones to take less. But in Islam, all who commit wrongdoing will face the consequences. Everyone will face judgement,' he said. He emphasised that the Sarawak government is serious about governance reforms, highlighting the establishment of the Integrity and Ombudsman unit as a step towards ensuring compliance with rules and procedures. 'Integrity means following the rules. We want not just the confidence of our people, but also that of foreign investors. We must be the best seeds to help grow Sarawak,' he said. Dr Juanda urged public servants to stay focused on their duties and not be swayed by malicious rumours or envy. 'Don't envy someone else's blessings. Do your job well – God sees everything. Your skills cannot be taken away. A fake will always be fake. Integrity at work is something people will notice and value. A diamond will always shine,' he remarked. He also highlighted the importance of embracing audit findings as tools for improvement. 'Auditor-general reports exist for a reason. They highlight areas where our systems may be outdated or where our work processes need change. Don't resist audit feedback – take it positively and implement improvements,' he added. Also present at the event were Sarawak Forest director Datu Hamden Mohamad and Sarawak MACC director Hasbilah Mohamad Salleh, along with other senior Forest officers. Dr Juanda Jaya government administration integrity
Borneo Post
03-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sarawak Forest Dept reaffirms integrity commitment at 2025 Integrity Day
Hamden (front, second left) leads his officers in reciting the integrity pledge during the event. BINTULU (July 3): The Sarawak Forest Department has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and ethical governance by hosting the Sarawak Forest Department Integrity Day 2025 at Promenade Hotel Bintulu, under the theme 'From Seeds to Canopies, Everything Matters'. Sarawak Forest Department director Datu Hamden Mohamad said the theme underscores the idea that every role, regardless of rank or scope, plays a part in the success and transparency of the department's organisational ecosystem. 'It reflects that integrity should not only exist at the top level, but must also be ingrained at the grassroots. Integrity is not a slogan; it is a culture,' he said during the event, which was officiated by Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Dato Dr Juanda Jaya. Hamden further emphasised that to strengthen the culture of integrity, the department has invested in the competency development of its officers. 'In 2024, three of our officers successfully completed training as Lead Auditors for the Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) ISO 37001:2016 conducted by SIRIM QAS. 'This year, another three officers are undergoing the Certified Financial Investigator Programme (CFIP) virtually, from February to October 2025,' he said. He added that the CFIP is a collaborative initiative between the National Financial Crime Centre (NFCC), Bank Negara Malaysia, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), aimed at enhancing the capability of enforcement officers to detect and investigate financial crimes. 'This proves that we are not merely talking about integrity, but we are actively equipping our officers with the knowledge and skills to uphold it.' Hamden also reported that since the certification of MS ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System was awarded to the Sarawak Forest Department headquarters, the Kapit Regional Forest Office, the Industrial Forest Research Centre at Batu 6, and the R\&D Division at the Forest Research Centre in Kuching last year, a surveillance audit was carried out by SIRIM QAS auditors from June 17 to 20. 'The audit found three non-conformities (NCRs) and several opportunities for improvement (OFIs). We should not fear audit findings. Instead, we should embrace them as opportunities to strengthen our systems and workplace culture,' he added. A highlight of the event at Promenade Hotel Bintulu was the anti-corruption commitment signing ceremony by licensed timber operators, the second time such an initiative has been held in conjunction with Forest Integrity Day. 'As our strategic partners, licence holders are making a joint pledge to reject corruption and fully support compliance with laws and regulations. 'This is a form of shared responsibility where the private sector is also held accountable in strengthening governance, minimising abuse of power, and improving public perception of the forestry industry,' he added. In this regard, Hamden calls on all Sarawak Forest Department staff, regardless of rank or location, to uphold integrity in all daily responsibilities. 'We are not just managing forests in Sarawak; we are safeguarding a trust. Our integrity is the foundation of the public's trust in us,' he stressed. Datu Hamden Mohamad Integrity Day Sarawak Forest Department
