Dato Gerawat Gala
MIRI: State Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Dato Gerawat Gala has refuted an allegation by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) of prolonged neglect of a primary school in Tutoh, describing it as “misleading and mischievous”.
Gerawat, who is Mulu assemblyman, was referring to a news report on March 20, where PKR Baram secretary Dennis Along alleged that SK Temenggong Baya Malang in Long Terawan Tutoh has been neglected for years and that the school block has not been maintained or repaired.
Dennis also gave pictures of a rotten and broken staircase, ceiling of the school building and platform for water tank.
In response, Gerawat said Dennis’ statement was misleading as the later was referring to a disused, old classroom which was supposed to have been demolished .
“This old classroom block is not used anymore as it was replaced by a brand new classroom block built in 2012 by the Education Department costing RM175,000,” he said.
Gerawat said the Marudi District Education Office had requested the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) to demolish the ground floor of the old classroom block that was highlighted in Dennis’ statement, as it was not used anymore as classrooms and because the ground floor was always affected by flood.
However, the PTA only demolished part of the ground floor and left one room to be used for supplementary food programme (RMT), he added.
On the school water tank, Gerawat said the Education Department is getting quotation for the construction of a new concrete structure for the water tank to replace the current wooden structure which is old.