Baru (second right) performs the earth-breaking ceremony. With him are Zohari (second left), Abdul Rahman (right) and Jambai.
SIBU: A primary school in Selangau is set to undergo improvement works – thanks to a gesture by one of the works package contractors (WPCs) for the Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak project.
Works Minister Baru Bian regards the move by Musyati Mudajaya JV Sdn Bhd to refurbish SK Sungai Buloh as ‘exemplary’.
“I hope other WPCs would undertake the same initiative in helping the government to refurbish all dilapidated schools in Sarawak,” the minister told reporters after officiating at the earth-breaking ceremony at SK Sungai Buloh yesterday.
SK Sungai Buloh houses 137 pupils – the majority of whom are staying at the hostels there. The school is located near the construction area of WPC No 8-Sungai Kua Bridge to Sungai Arip Bridge, which spans 63.678km.
It is learnt that for this school, Musyati-Mudajaya JV would construct eight new teachers’ quarters, improve the drainage, as well as refurbish the dining hall and the girls’ hostels – all amounting to a cost of about RM1.5 million.
Baru, who is Selangau MP, took part in the ‘Jelajah FTRoadpedia’ – a three-day convoy programme to assess the progress of Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak project. It kicked off at the WPC Area 01 Sematan-Telok Melano last Saturday, and concluded in Miri yesterday.
Baru is joined by officials from his ministry, as well as representatives of Sarawak’s Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Transportation, Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak, and Lebuhraya Utara Sdn Bhd (LBU) – the project delivery partner of Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak project.
According to Baru, who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman, there are still many schools across Sarawak that are categorised as ‘dilapidated’.
“The headmaster (of SK Sungai Buloh) brought me around the school, where I could see for myself how dilapidated this school was. I was made to understand that this school was built in 1957.
“Many schools in Sarawak, including those in Ba Kelalan, that were built in the 1960s and 1970s, have yet to have new blocks,” he said, pointing out that only two schools in Ba Kelalan have undergone rebuilding – SK Long Sukang and SK Long Uping.
In this regard, he believed that this is where corporations can contribute through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
“Several corporations can come together and do their CSR.” Baru also expressed his hope for the works on the Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak project to reach completion within the timeline and in accordance with the specifications.
Meanwhile during the event at SK Sungai Buloh yesterday, officials from Musyati Mudajaya JV declared the company’s pledge to provide incentives to pupils who performed well in the just-concluded Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR).
Separately, Selangau District Education officer Jambai Sayong disclosed that Sarawak Education Department recently gave an allocation of RM3 million to assist schools in the district that had been facing flood problems.
In his remarks, he also called upon the government to look into schools in Selangau that are still using generator sets for electricity supply.
It is learnt that Selangau District has 22 primary schools and one secondary school.
Works Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Zohari Akob and Musyati Mudajaya JV chairman Abdul Rahman Ahmad and SK Sungai Buloh headmaster Bona Venture Thibong were among those present.
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