M.Krishnamoorthy
A media coach, Adjunct Professor. and author
Miri's Sarawak GenZ are the future trendsetters! In their teens' they are making waves and letting Malaysia feel the impact of their dedication and action. PACTS students have initiated free street libraries in the city of Miri making it the first such creative initiative in Malaysia. PACTS education centre (High School) focuses on partnering with parents to achieve academic excellence. The libraries will be set up by the end of this month.
Keeping in line with Sustainable Development Goals, the libraries will upcycle appliances and materials such as transparent refrigerators, ovens, used bookshelves and other materials that can be used as book display shelves.
PACTS founder Onny Maathai, who managed a private international school (Gen Z) in Kuala Lumpur before setting up a non-profit initiative in Sarawak, said the students in Miri were concerned with more and more youth and adults spending their time on digital devices instead of writing or reading.
The acronym PACTS is for:
P - Partnership with Parents
A - Academic Excellence
C - Character Development
T - Technology Driven
S - Service to the community
Onny said in a telephone interview that the senior students (Gen Z) of PACTS visited Miri YB Mayor Adam Yii at his office on July 12th to present to the mayor and the Miri City Council about PACTS's social and voluntary contributions in setting up library shelves and bookcases around the city.
“Miri Mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang gave his blessings and has approved the street library project to go ahead. The Mayor has instructed the Deputy Librarian of Miri City Council to assist us with allocating books. He urged her to work with other authorities to allocate equipment for upcycling such as fridges, ovens and bookshelves that could be upcycled as part of Miri City councils Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) focus for the city.
“The senior students of PACTS Education Clubhouse initiated the promotion of reading through the development of street libraries in Miri. The library aims to emphasise the importance of bringing back the habit of a reading culture in the community.
“For this reason, the idea of Miri Street Library depots will help build a more literate society and reduce the dependency on digital media. The Malaysia Voluntary Welfare Society (NEEDS) which supports the PACTS education clubhouse will provide access to books, programs, and services that promote literacy and lifelong learning opportunities for our community in Miri, Sarawak,” said Onny.
This is an innovative library to develop and engage the community and encourage lifelong learners. It is expected to be launched at the end of July 2024.
To continue to sustain the free education enrichment centre providing free education to more than 100 underprivileged and autistic students. Their sports development activities and their sustainability centre are operated and managed through donations from the community.
The students of PACTS Education had also presented the idea of the street library to Miri General Hospital Management to set up a library in the Children’s Ward, Maternity Ward as well as in the general area to encourage reading among all ages.
“The Miri General Hospital has given us the approval to start the setup process. Miri Street Library will be the first of such initiatives in Malaysia,” added Onny.
The principal of PACTS Education Clubhouse Christina Foo said the library would provide services, programming, and materials available to all residents surrounding Miri.
“Our free private education initiative aims to empower the younger generation to realise their potential as uniquely gifted individuals in their family and community. Through this activity and learning experiences, we will build individual relationships with children and their families,” said Foo.
“We hope to restore and provide equal opportunity for underprivileged children and their families in education, health, and counselling. We want to contribute back to local communities, particularly in squatters’ areas of Miri.”
PACTS caters to students from the age of three to 19 when they graduate from Grade 12 which is equivalent to Form Six.
Maathai and Foo of NEEDS providing private enrichment education is currently a lighthouse for the underprivileged communities in Miri.
NEEDS also operates another non-profit education enrichment centre in Lutong, Miri for underprivileged children. The centre's mission is also to be a development hub for children and their families.
“The library is a heritage, culture and hope for the future. For this reason, the street library project has sought to encourage literacy. The more you read, the more things you will know, the more you will learn, and the more places you will go,” said Foo.
She added that books had the power to transport people to a different world, experience the impossible, and unlock people’s potential.
“The hope is that one day, a little boy with no books in his house can pass by a local street library and discover a new world of opportunities. It will encourage the community to have a goal of bringing our diverse communities all over Miri closer together. We aim to build an educated society that motivates people to engage with their community in a positive way enlightening themselves through books. When people take a book and leave a book, they create a cycle of generosity that allows them to share what they love with those around them,” said Foo.
By participating in the Street Library movement, Foo added that they could help encourage reading, sharing and helping the community rebuild a reading society.
The street library is a brainchild of PACTS senior students for their project for 2024 as their community service programme, and they plan to mentor the junior children to be involved and to take ownership in the years to come.
The street library will in the beginning be placed in three locations: a book collection centre at PACTS, Pause Café on Miri Times Square and the Miri Marriott’s Resort & Spa Sustainability Center.
Google Maps will be used to drop pins of the Street Library for the community to know where the street libraries are located and social media will be used to update on events such as story reading events, book donation updates and much more.
“We will also organise other related activities for the communities,” said Foo.
PACTS is a centre that is funded by community and corporate donations. Currently, NEEDS & PACTS management welcomes any donations.
“We will also organise other related activities for the communities. We are on a donation drive to raise funds to continue providing free education as well as to support the development of our education facility to accommodate the development of these children,” said Foo.
For more information on the donation drive, contact NEEDS at 014 9606 787 or email: pactseducation@gmail.com
Donations can be made in favour of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sukarela Malaysia (Malaysia Voluntary Welfare Society) (NEEDS)
OCBC Bank
Current Account No: 761-104437-1
Freelance Writer M. Krishnamoorthy (www.imkrishna.net) is a media coach, adjunct professor and undercover journalist. He has freelanced with Bernama, NST, The Star, and Malaysiakini. He also freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian Television networks and the New York Times. As an undercover journalist, he has highlighted society's concerns.
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