KUCHING: Wong Nai Siong Secondary School in Sibu yesterday received donations totalling RM8.5 million for its education fund at Crown Towers here.
DONATIONS: Datin Sri Wong Suk Ting (fourth left) on behalf of Hui Kang and Suk Ting Foundation presenting the mock cheque to Lau Swee Nguong (second right) while (from left) Stephen Lau, Robert Lau, Vincent Lau, Wong (fourth right), Henry Lau (third right) and Jenny Lau (right) look on.
The benefactors giving the donations were Hui Kang and Suk Ting Foundation (RM4 million), KTS Mutual Sdn Bhd (RM2 million), Lau Swee Nguong (RM1.25 million), and Hwa Sen Holdings Berhad (RM1.25 million).
The donations were presented during a dinner held in connection with the fourth anniversary of the passing of Dato Sri (Dr) Lau Hui Kang.
The late Lau was the former executive chairman of the KTS Group of Companies who passed away on Jan 19, 2006.
KTS Group of Companies managing director Dato Henry Lau said one of the main objectives of the Education Fund was to promote higher education and research in the school, establish and maintain an education fund to give financial aid to meritorious and needy students of good character in the school for higher studies.
He said the other main objective as stipulated in the agreement jointly signed by the benefactors was to acquire properties and carry out investment activities in order to generate funds for the fulfillment of the aims of the benefactors.
“The agreement also specifies that each benefactor shall contribute a sum of not less than RM1 million towards the objectives and other provisions such as rights duties and obligations of a benefactor, the rules of benefactors’ meetings, dissolution of the fund, and the incorporation of a legal body to implement the objectives of the benefactors,” Lau added.
Among those present during the function were Second Finance Minister and Minister of Environment and Public Health Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh; Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang and Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Robert Lau.
KTS Group of Companies deputy managing directors Stephen Lau and Temenggong Vincent Lau; KTS Group of Companies chairman Lau Swee Nguong; Datin Sri Wong Suk Ting; Jenny Lau Lee Huong; and Roman Catholic Kuching Archbishop John Ha as well as KTS board members and staff were among those present.
Soon Koh, meanwhile, commended the benefactors for their public-spiritedness and love for Chinese language and culture.
In his speech, he also spoke fondly about the late Dato Sri Lau Hui Kang, whom he described as like a mentor for him.
Dato Sri Lau was a generous man. He made numerous contributions to various charitable organisations, schools, colleges, universities and many other social and cultural bodies.
He pointed out that to the late Dato Sri Lau, education was seen as a way to determine the level of success of an individual, community and nation.
To Dato Sri Lau, the Wong Nai Siong Secondary School which was named after the Foochow pioneers must remain the cornerstone of Chinese education. It symbolises the pioneering and indomitable spirit of Sibu’s early settlers.
In the past, Wong Nai Siong Secondary School had received considerable financial support from the KTS Group of Companies as well as its directors for maintenance of its buildings and school management.
All the contributors to the education fund are in one way or another linked to the KTS Group, according to a press statement from KTS Group yesterday.
On another note, Temenggong Vincent Lau also expressed his gratitude to the late Dato Sri Lau, saying that he was a person most respected, loved and missed.
Earlier before the dinner function, a memorial service for the late Dato Sri Lau Hui Kang was held at the chapel of the Mother Mary Retirement Home for Priests at Jalan Stutong, off Jalan Pending here.
The retirement home was a gift to the Catholic Mission in memory of the late Dato Sri Lau.