CM says he is aware the Chinese give strong emphasis to education for their childre
Fireworks display to mark the gathering.
KUCHING: Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem gave the Chinese community more things to cheer about last night when he pledged RM4 million for 14 Chinese independent schools in the state for this year.
This is RM1 million more than what he gave these Chinese independent schools last year.
In announcing this at the MBKS Chinese New Year Open House at Dewan Masyarakat here, the Chief Minister acknowledged the strong emphasis on education among the Chinese community for their children.
“Last year, I gave RM3 million to the 14 Chinese independent schools in Sarawak. But Richard Wee and (Temenggong) Vincent Lau (both are leaders of management committees of Chinese independent schools in Sarawak) asked again.
“So, this year, I give RM4 million. But don’t forget that a year later you will have to choose … and don’t forget Adenan’s face, okay?” he said to the applause of some 50,000 people at the festive gathering that was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
Adenan gave another piece of good news to Sarawakians by pledging to negotiate with toll companies in the state to reduce their toll charges or to scrap toll charges altogether.
He, however, did not name the toll bridges. The only two toll bridges in the state are the Tun Salahuddin Toll Bridge in Kuching and Lanang Toll Bridge in Sibu.
“We will negotiate with the toll companies. But if they see the DAP, they would not want to negotiate; if they see Adenan’s face, they would consider.”
He said his administration would pursue the matter and thus urged the community here to do the same – bring him good news when the election comes.
On illegal logging, he said the enforcement authorities would keep up the good work for as long as he remained in office.
While a number of arrests had been made thus far, Adenan called for more public tip-offs so that the relevant authorities, such as the police, could do their job.
Among those present were Adenan’s wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and MBKS mayor Datuk James Chan.