SHS COMMITTEE – 2022-2024 session (further to AGM 03/09/2024)

SHS EXCO 2024-2026

President:
Datin Rosemarie Wong-Jabu

Vice president:
Ar. William Khoo

Secretary:
Sr. Gary Ningkan

Treasurer:
Chua Yaw Chiang

Committee members:

  • Ts. Augustus Segar
  • Sylvia Jimmy
  • Wilson Suai
  • Yon Syafni Binti Samat
  • Melvina Mathews

Immediate past Committee (21/12/2022 to 03/08/2024):

President: Datin Rosemary WONG
Vice President: Donna YONG Siaw Wah
Secretary: Chung Sung Siong
Treasurer: Chua Yaw Chiang

Committee members:

  • William KHOO
  • Michael Pengiran LIEW
  • Yon SYAFNI Binti Samat
  • Joy Natalie COTTER
  • Traci Ann TAY

Past Presidents:

(IX)       2022 – 2024 : Datin Rosemarie WONG
(VIII)     2020 – 2022 : James S L Yong (07/11/202 – 21/12/2022)
(VI-VII) 2016 – 2020 : Dato Sri Robert Jacob Ridu (20/03/2016 – 07/11/2020)
(V)        2014 – 2016 : Karen Shepherd (07/03/2014 – 20/03/2016)
(IV)       2012 – 2014 : Hong Boon Kheng (16/03/2012 – 07/03/2014)
(III)       2010 – 2012 : Joseph Ingai Gasing (05/03/2010 – 16/03/2012)
(II)        2008 – 2010 : Mike Boon Chee Khian (28/03/2008 – 05/03/2010)
(I)         2006 – 2008 : Datu Abang Janalak @Aloysius b. Abg Dris (12/08/2006 – 28/03/2008)

PRESIDENT: Datin Rosemarie Wong-Jabu
Rosemarie holds a 1st class BA(Hons) degree in Fashion (printed textiles) from St Martins College of Art & Design, London and a Diploma in Interior Design from Chelsea College of Art & Design, London. Professionally, Rosemarie is the Owner, Creative and Project Director of the Ranee Artisan Gallery, a retail platform supporting independent artisans, winner of 2015/2106 Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Award “Most Outstanding Cottage Industry” (Handicraft Outlet). She also works with various longhouse communities to develop handicrafts, and recently won 2018 World Crafts Council Award of Excellence for Handicrafts (South-East Asia Sub-Region) for a product titled “The Magic of Upcycling”. She is the owner and key designer of The Ranee Boutique Suites, a 24-room boutique hotel, and more recently restored a heritage icon, The Marian, now a 40-room Boutique Lodging House and The Granary Kitchen + Bar, a warehouse-style dining hall cum event space, Gold Award winner for Design Excellence, “Green Interior & Adaptive Re-Use” from Malaysian Institute of Interior Design (MIID REKA) Awards 2018. Her strong background in art and design coupled with a sound grasp of commercial realities is instrumental in the conceptualisation and management of the many creative projects.

VICE PRESIDENT : Ar. William Khoo
William Khoo Boo Chuan is a Penangite by birth and a Sarawakian by circumstance. He is a trained architect by profession, having graduated from the University of New South Wales, Sydney in 1989. Since his graduation, he had moved to Kuching for work and has since made Kuching his home for the last 30 years. He is happily married to Jacqueline Lam, also a Penangite and have 2 daughters, both of whom were born and bred Sarawakians.
William is the director of Kuching architectural firm Design Network Architects. (DNA). He has a keen interest with regards to the built heritage of Sarawak especially, Kuching and has been an active member of the Sarawakian fraternity of architects dealing with the development of Kuching urban township, even in Sibu and Miri. William has been actively involved albeit in the background, assisting SHS in previous years as advisor on issues related to urban planning, architecture and the built heritage.

HON. SECRETARY: Sr. Gary Ningkan
Gary is a Registered Valuer, Estate Agent, and Property Manager with VPC Alliance (Sarawak) Sdn. Bhd., 15 years in the property industry. He hodls a (Hons.) degree in Estate Management from University of Malaya (UM). He is ex-President of Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) 2019-2023 (now an Advisor);  Senior VP of Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) 2019-2022, and TEGAS Youth Leaders;  Exco Member of Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) Sarawak Chapter;  He is also member of Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).
He has been awarded the Sarawak Youth Icon for his contribution in various civil society works, mainly promoting on importance of education and future jobs.

HON. TREASURER: Chua Yaw Chiang
.

Sylvia Jimmy
Sylvia holds a BA (Hons) in Social Science from UNIMAS. She works at the Sarawak Museum Department. She is deeply passionate about Borneo’s culture, history, and heritage, dedicating her career to preserving the region’s rich traditions. She has researched and contributed to the content development of the Fort Lily Museum project.

Melvina Mathews
Melvina has 8 years of experience in HR, administration, events, and operations. She works in Sarawak Museum Department (since 2019). She excels in content creation, digital marketing and office management and is passionate about culture and heritage. She is currently pursuing a six-month Tour Guide Course under Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS 

Ts. Augustus Segar
Ts. Augustus Segar is a Multimedia Design Lecturer at the School of Design and Arts at Swinburne Sarawak. Over the course of his career, he has collaborated with a diverse range of industry partners and government organizations, including Nokia, Microsoft Malaysia, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), Sarawak Digital Economy (SDEC), Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputera Sarawak (TEGAS), SME Corporation, the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), and the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK). These partnerships have contributed to significant achievements for the university, such as the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), the formation of strategic partnerships, the commercialization of projects, the establishment of a course advisory committee, and the successful securing of industry projects and grants. In addition to his academic role, Ts. Augustus is an active participant in the local creative industry ecosystem, serving as a trainer, facilitator, and mentor for emerging start-ups. His expertise lies in Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR), and he currently teaches courses related to immersive media and technologies, interactive applications, games, and animation.

Yon Syafni Binti Samat
Yon Syafni Samat is a Graduate Architect, designer, and lecturer at the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). She earned both her Bachelor of Design in Architecture (B.Des.Arch, LAM Part I) and Master of Architecture (M.Arch, LAM Part II) degrees from The University of Sydney in Australia. After graduation, she worked at Integrated Design Consultants (IDC Architects) before joining UNIMAS. Her research focuses on vernacular architecture and the preservation of architectural heritage, particularly traditional Malay houses. Over the years, she has received multiple awards, including a Gold Award for her research on “The Sarawak Malay Houses of Kampung Seberang Hilir,” a Silver Award for “The Evolution of Malay Vernacular House Form along the Sarawak River in Kuching, Borneo,” and a Bronze Award for “‘Bergendang’ in the Early Model of Traditional Sarawak Malay Houses.” She is currently completing her doctorate, where she explores the role of socioculture in traditional Malay houses in Sarawak, a topic she is deeply passionate about.

Wilson Suai
Wilson graduated with Bachelor of Computer Science majoring in Interactive Media with Honours in 2006. He went on to pursue and obtained his Master of Computer Science in Multimedia System from University Putra Malaysia (UPM) in 2009. Currently, Wilson Suai is a lecturer and Discipline Leader in the School of Design and Arts, Faculty of Business, Design and Arts. Since 2006, he has taught numerous subjects within the field of Multimedia Design in various levels and programs and also an accredited supervisor for Masters by Research. As an Apple education trainer since 2014 with Apple Professional Learning Provider being the latest qualification under his belt, he has worked together with educators, students, schools and higher learning institutions in Malaysia in integrating technology and infuse innovation in their learning, curriculums and leadership.