LUNDU: Participants in last weekend’s ‘Program Wacana Ilmu’ at Sematan near here hoped more such course would be held in future.

Marini Kipli, 22 of Lundu said the programme had taught her to improve her communication skills and self-esteem.

“The cooperation given by the participants and the ability to interact with people from different ages enabled us to be more open-minded,” said Marini who stays with a foster family at Kampung Tanah Hitam in Sematan.

Siti Nursyrenne Bolhassan, 21, also from Lundu, said the programme could create good quality leaders. She had learned a lot during the three days at the camp.

“Now I have more self-confidence, which I will put into practice later,” she said.

Mohd Handeri Hashim, who is headman of Kampung No. 3 and Kampung No. 4 in Petrajaya, Kuching said the programme had exposed him to the idea of love and respect for others.

He also said the talks and seminar enabled him to learn better about government policies, which he would share with people in his village.

“The programme had showed me how important it is to value everyone around us. I learned the real meaning of a leader’s responsibilities,” said Handeri.

Eighty community leaders and 70 youths from around Kuching, Bau, Lundu and Sematan participated in the three-day, two-night programme.

The programme was organised by the Social Development and Urbanisation Ministry (KPSU), state’s Mimbar Permuafakatan Ibu Bapa Malaysia (Mapim) and various government departments.