(From right, third row) Miro, Snowdan, Gerald, Riot and Manyin join a photocall during the gathering at Dewan Masyarakat Serian.
SERIAN: Participants of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Flag Rally were given a rousing welcome in Serian despite the rain on Wednesday afternoon.
The group comprising youth and women leaders, made a stopover in Serian on Wednesday as part of the week-long rally, which started in Lawas on Jan 11.
Welcoming them in Serian were Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin, Serian MP Dato Sri Richard Riot, Kedup assemblyman Martin Ben and Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus as well as local leaders of GPS component parties.
Manyin, who is also Tebedu assemblyman, said the formation of GPS had come at the right time to look into matters affecting Sarawak including the issue of many dilapidated schools.
He said the increasing number of dilapidated schools is a worrying concern for Sarawak despite the 50 years of working together with Peninsula-based political parties.
According to Manyin, 1,200 out of 1,457 schools in Sarawak have been identified as dilapidated. From the 1,200 dilapidated schools, 415 were beyond repair and had to be rebuilt.
Although federal ministers had come and visited the schools, and had shown sympathy and empathy during the visits, nothing much seemed to be done to address the problem.
As such, Manyin said GPS had to be firm on this issue and fight for Sarawak’s rights for quality education in order to provide a better future for Sarawak and its people.
“This is why only Sarawakians themselves can fight for their rights. Remember what Tok Nan (former chief minister the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem) had said regarding our rights which have either been purposely taken away or have been eroded,” he said.
Meanwhile, the rally coordinator Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh called on voters in Serian not to be swayed by the political games of Peninsula-based parties in the coming election.
He said it’s wiser for the people to vote for GPS, a local political coalition which would always strive to put the interests of Sarawakians first.
Among those participating in the rally were the rally leader and Layar assemblyman Gerald Rentap Jabu who is GPS youth chief, and another rally coordinator Assistant Minister of Youth and Sport Datuk Snowdan Lawan, who is also Balai Ringin assemblyman.