KUCHING: The project of rebuilding the dormitories of SK Punan Ba in Belaga has been delayed to a later date due to late shipment of building materials.
As it is now, only one block has been completed as the supplier of the building materials only managed to send as much.
The contractor, Irok Industries Sdn Bhd, expressed regret for the delay and promised to expedite the project by identifying a new supplier (of building material).
The original plan was for the project to be completed in March this year.
“We ordered the building materials for two dorms many months ago but only enough materials for one dorm arrived.
“We have placed an order with the new supplier. Hopeful, they will arrive soon,” Irok Industries general manager Alexander Asing Sadai told The Borneo Post.
He added that until the building material had arrived the company would not be able to confirm the date of completion of the project.
“The building materials are ordered from Peninsular Malaysia, which, barring all circumstances, normally takes about a week to arrive,” he said.
More than RM2 million has been allocated for the construction of the two dormitories for the benefit of the pupils of SK Punan Ba, a Punan settlement about two-hour boat ride from Belaga.
Light weight concrete prefabricated slabs would be used to cut down construction time by a third when compared to using conventional building materials.
The verandah of the girls’ dormitory collapsed in Jan 2012 injuring 18 pupils, five of whom seriously. The dorm has since been left vacant.
The other dorm housing the boys is also run down due to wear and tear.
The boys are putting up at the Sebiro Building not far from the school.
The girls are meanwhile putting up at the quarters of the headmaster and another teacher.