New schools for Balingian, Tellian

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Muhyiddin shaking hands with a villager after a visit to the residence of BN Balingian by-election candidate Yussibnosh Balo (right) for a meet-the-people session in Kampung Tellian Tengah, Mukah. — Bernama photo

Muhyiddin (fourth right) receiving a souvenir from village chief of Kpg Tellian Tengah in the presence of Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem (second left) and from left, Yussibnosh and other BN leaders.

Muhyiddin (thrd right) cuddling two-year-old Jacinta Yussibnosh while visiting Yussifnosh’s parents’ house at Kpg Tellian Tengah yesterday. From the left are Chief Minister’s wife Puan Sri Jamillah Anu, Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem, Yussifnosh and his parents.

WELCOME BACK: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is greeted upon his arrival at the Kuching International Airport. Muhyiddin was in the state for a one-day visit yesterday for the Balingian by-election. Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem is at left. Muhyiddin and Adenan later travelled to the Balingian state constituency for several events. — Photo by Chimon Upon

Education Minister announces a RM79 million allocation for SMK Balingian, SK Tellian

MUKAH: Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has announced an allocation of RM79 million to build a secondary school in the Balingian sub-district and rebuild the primary school at Kampung Tellian in Mukah.

He acknowledged the local communities’ urgent need for schools in both areas and has urged the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to expedite the approval of the budget.

The allocation was announced in two separate functions in Balingian yesterday.

When visiting the Batang Balingian Bridge, he announced the approval of RM60 million for the building of a 24-classroom new secondary school which will be able to accommodate 800 students for the Balingian sub-district community.

He said the new secondary school would lessen the burden of parents here who had to send their children to Mukah which is 60km away from Balingian.

Later in the afternoon, Muhyiddin, who is the deputy prime minister, announced an allocation of RM19 million for the building of SK Kpg Tellian, including 12 classrooms and other facilities.

Muhyiddin said the long-awaited schools have been highlighted to his ministry but might have to be implemented much later due to the long list of requests for schools throughout the country. But now that he knew the urgency for both schools, he decided to take it up personally with the EPU.

“Every application is sent to the EPU for evaluation. But there were too many new projects, so because of some technical problems, the SK Telian project had to be shelved. I have told the EPU that the project cannot be further delayed.”

Both schools according to him had no problem in terms of site-locations but he only assured that SMK Balingian would start construction next year, while there was no time frame given for SK Tellian.

While attending a Meet-the-People session at Kpg Tellian Tengah, he told the villagers that he knew that the students of SK Kpg Tellian had been ‘parking’ at SK Mukah, which is some 3 km away, and as a result SK Mukah is now getting very crowded.

“We hope with the new school, the standard of education of the students would be raised,” said Muhyiddin.

Both schools are among the top seven wishes of the local people which The Borneo Post highlighted before the by-election was announced.

Muhyiddin further stressed that the government has been putting a lot of emphasis on education, as each year RM3.6 billion is spent on 25 different types of aid including scholarship, food and uniforms for 6.1 million students across the country.

“The government has spent so much on education because we believe that no race can be raised up without education. It would be another lie of the opposition to say that the government has been neglecting the education of our children,” he said.

On the candidate, he said it has been the decision of the top BN leadership that Yussibnosh be chosen as he is the best candidate in terms of capability and suitability.

He challenged the villagers here to give Yussibnosh a united support to win with an even bigger majority and deny the opposition candidate his deposit so that Yussibnosh can continue with the legacy of former assemblyman Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to bring continuous development to the area.

“The people of Jepak had (once) rejected him (Abdul Jalil Bujang). He was not welcome there. You people here should also reject him,” said Muhyiddin.

He said PKR, which is led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has been a problematic party that created a lot of problems to Barisan Nasional by spreading false accusations.

“He was not happy with Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid who quarreled with him. So he asked Kajang state assemblyman to vacate the seat to let him contest and become the menteri besar.

“Then the court ruled him guilty and he could not contest. And he who has been accusing us of nepotism asked his wife to replace him and contest in Kajang,” said Muhyiddin.

He thus called on the villagers of Kpg Tellian to reject Abdul Jalil and support the BN candidate – Yussibnosh.