A long walk that must continue on – Wong

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SIBU: Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has paid tribute to the community here for helping to build schools all these years.

Speaking at the centenary celebration of Chung Cheng School on Sunday, he said when the settlers arrived in the 1900s, they built schools while opening up land.

Their descendants must uphold this spirit to continue to prosper the community, he added.

“Among the leaders, Lau Kah Too – a leader chosen by the Brooke government to look after the affairs of the Foochow settlers – had taken the initiative to build Chung Cheng School in Tanjung Kunyit. I must say Lau and other forefathers had gone through much hardship,” he said.

They had to face harsh environmental conditions and diseases, but they never gave up, Wong added.

“Lau and the other forefathers would work for six days a week, and on the seventh day, they would get together to plan a week ahead for the school.”

He said these pioneers had sweated and toiled, and the descendants today were reaping the fruits. Apart from the building of the school, the early settlers also promoted their cultures, he pointed out.

“It is only right that at this centenary joy tonight, we remember their sacrifices and struggles; and the descendants today must build on this foundation.”

In their struggles, Wong said, the community had gone through two major hard times – the Japanese Occupation and the Emergency era. He recalled that during the Emergency, villagers were forced to move to town and as a result, student population plunged.  The forefathers fought through hardships. It is a long walk in this passage of time.”

Wong said in the last decade, the building of Chung Cheng School had continued. The minister also paid tribute to the late Datuk Robert Lau, as well as the present Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King.

Wong remembered that even until the very last breath, Robert Lau’s heart was with Chung Cheng School and other schools here.

“I see community teamwork in this dedication – a dedication for the past 100 years. Today, the school board is the root of Chung Cheng, and the community is the fertile soil. The tree of Chung Cheng will continue to grow strong.”

Apart from Tiong who is also the school board chairman, also present were organising chairperson Kapitan Datuk Janet Lau, Temenggong Datuk Vincent Lau, Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee and divisional Education chief Wong Chung Kung.