KUCHING: SK Jalan Arang here will soon have a new multipurpose hall following the approval of a RM400,000-allocation by Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen.
DAP Batu Kitang chairman Abdul Aziz Isa, who is Chong’s special assistant, said he had been informed of the school’s need to have its own hall to run its activities by headmaster Edward Peter Bajat.
“Now, the school has to rent private halls and buses to hold their outdoor activities. As such, I told Edward to submit a proposal and an official application letter to Stampin Parliamentary Service Centre to build the hall.
“A month later, Edward submitted to me the plan to build the said project. Without any delay, the proposal received an approval by Chong, the Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs and Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, using his MP allocation fund (through physical development) of RM400,000,” said Abdul Aziz in a press statement yesterday.
He said the school, which consists of 768 pupils and 64 supporting staff, comes under Batu Kitang state constituency.
“Many parents from Batu Kitang constituency send their kids to this school. Most of them are from Sandong, Sudat, Tematu, Taman Flora Indah, Taman Saidu Khan, Taman Wawasan, Arang Road, Dogan Road and Kung Phin Road.
“As the (federal) government of the day, it is our duty to ensure the development of the school and to understand their needs better,” he added.
Abdul Aziz also said the proposal had been submitted to Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak through the Sarawak Development Office (SDO), for the process of open tender.
“I hope JKR Sarawak can expedite the tender process so that the project to build the new hall can be completed by end of this year.
“With the increasing number of students annually, it’s high time for the school to have its own multipurpose hall for its curricular activities,” he said.
Abdul Aziz also said it was not the first time Chong had approved such project for schools under the Batu Kitang constituency.
He said in January this year, another primary school – SK Garland – received financial assistance amounting to RM250,000 from the federal government via Chong’s MP allocation fund (RM100,000) and the Ministry of Education (RM150,000) to repair a damaged building.