uniform vouchers to a teacher during the presentation ceremony at SK Merpati Jepang in Kuching on Monday. Looking on are Johari’s wife, Datin Amar Datuk Juma’aini Tuanku Bujang (third left) and Yayasan Sarawak Director, Azmi Bujang (left). PHOTO : NORDIN MD DIAH
KUCHING: The state government is discussing with Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 a suitable new site to relocate the school. Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg revealed this in his speech when officiating the 35th Presentation Ceremony of Yayasan Sarawak School Uniform Vouchers and Scholarships at SK Merpati Jepang on Monday.
He revealed the state government had improved most of the infrastructure in Satok schools. However, the infrastructure at Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 could not be improved anymore due to the limited school space. “Because of that, Datuk Haji Fadillah Yusof (Minister of Works) and I, as the representatives of the people, will find a way to help Chung Hua Middle School No. 4.
“We are looking for a new suitable location to build the new Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 and the current land might be taken over by the government. We’ll exchange,” said Johari. He explained that the government had built an air-conditioned hall for SK Rakyat while SK Merpati Jepang had also been equipped with the necessary infrastructure too. He added that the government was building a new school in Petra Jaya as well.
The government was also assisting SMK St Teresa to build a new hall after the old one was gutted by fire. On another matter, Johari , who is also the Chairman of Yayasan Sarawak, pointed that the foundation had provided 40 scholarships for Sarawakians to become doctors. He said Yayasan Sarawak was sending 40 Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) students yearly for medical studies and the cost for each person was about RM500,000 per year.
“We need a lot of funds to send the 40 students, and thankfully, I manage to increase the income of Yayasan Sarawak from half a million ringgit per year to RM300 million a year,” added Johari.
Meanwhile, 139 students from SK Merpati Jepang, SJK (C) Chung Hua No.4, SK St Thomas, SK St Mary, SK St Joseph, SK Combined, SK Rakyat, SMK St Joseph, SMK St Thomas, SMK St Mary and SMK Sungai Maong received their school uniform vouchers while another 35 from SMK St Joseph, SMK St Thomas, SMK St Teresa, and SMK St Mary received their scholarships, also from Yayasan Sarawak. The total value of the school uniform vouchers and scholarships amounted to RM4 million.
Also present at the event were Johari’s wife, Datin Amar Datuk Juma’aini Tuanku Bujang, Yayasan Sarawak Director, Azmi Bujang and Deputy State Secretary, Datu Dr Sabariah Putit.
