LONG Sobeng Ulu Tinjar: Political leaders should not politicise education at the expense of students and the younger generation, said Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau. He said the move by Pakatan Harapan to bar Gabungan Party Sarawak (GPS) elected representatives from attending events held in schools in the state could result in untold damage to the future of rural kids in Sarawak.
“For decades, past governments have painstakingly developed and nurtured the school environment and institution in the country to where we are today, where all along we welcome help from all parties regardless of their political inclination as long as their efforts to develop school infrastructures and amenities and the students’ performances are genuine.
“Therefore it is very unwise for the PH federal government to bar elected representatives from GPS from attending school events, as we (elected representatives) can help our rural schools in many ways,” he said when officiating at a sports meet in SK Long Sobeng on Thursday.
Dennis was responding to a purported directive banning GPS lawmakers from attending schools’ events in Sarawak.
He said the federal government should instead welcome and be pleased by the efforts of the GPS government in helping schools in Sarawak especially in rural constituencies like Telang Usan.
“A big portion of my yearly minor rural project (MRP) fund since 2011 was channelled to the school’s Parent – Teacher Association (PTA) to repair school classes, teachers’ quarters, build sport facilities, repair students’ boarding house, dining hall, toilets, and paying for poor rural student school fees and so forth. If I do not provide MRP fund to the school you can imagine the suffering of our rural students and teachers,” he explained.
At the event, Dennis approved RM10,000 from his MRP fund to build a Highly Immersive Programme corner at the school.
Sk Long Sobeng is approximately five hours drive on four wheel drive (4WD) vehicles from Miri city.
