File photo of Abdul Arbi doing an inspection at the proposed site of SMK Balingian in 2016.
SIBU: The people of Balingian are now even more hopeful of getting a new secondary school in their midst following Works Minister Baru Bian’s assurance that the federal government is not putting off the proposed SMK Balingian project.
Balingian assemblyman Abdul Yakub Arbi said it was high time the proposed project took off soonest since the promise was made during the Balingian by-election back in 2014.
Baru told a press conference after declaring open PKR Mukah branch office at Mukah Biotech Economic Zone on Thursday that the federal government was not putting off the proposed new Mukah Airport and SMK Balingian projects.
For the record, Balingian has many primary schools, but not a single secondary school.
“These primary schools will be the feeder schools for the proposed secondary school,” Abdul Yakub said, adding that primary school pupils in Balingian would either go to SMK Three Rivers or SMK St Patrick (in Mukah), about 60km away, a real burden in terms of transport cost.
It is learned that there are several issues affecting the (proposed) school project. They include soil condition and the site not very suitable for the construction of a school.
“The actual cost can be more than the approved RM80 million,” Abdul Yakub lamented.
The proposed school project will have 24 classrooms, dormitories that can accommodate up to 800 students, and 24 teachers’ quarters.
Former deputy prime minister and education minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin made a promise during the Balingian by-election in 2014 that SMK Balingian would be built.
During a gathering at Kampung Masjid in April 2016, the media reported former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that construction works on the proposed SMK Balingian would commence soon.
He was also quoted as saying that a land had been identified for the project, and the building plan was being drawn up.