KUCHING: Several factors contributed to the delay in the building of SK Long Sukang in 2009, said Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jawong.
State Education, Science and Technological Research Minister said that advice from geo-technical expert and dispute between joint-venture companies hindered the progress.
The state government, he recalled, decided to step in and approved the construction of six teachers’ quarters, currently under construction and expected to be completed in July 2022.
Manyin was responding to recent comments by Selangau MP Baru Bian on the status of SK Long Sukang, the shortage of teachers, and the establishment of a sports school.
“The state Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research acknowledges the incomplete SK Long Sukang in Lawas as highlighted by Baru Bian.
“Firstly, this matter is under the purview of the Ministry of Education (MoE) Malaysia. The building of six classrooms and an academic block, canteen, students hostel, dining hall, pre-school and other related facilities was implemented directly by the federal MoE in 2009 at a cost of RM19.443mil and was scheduled to be completed in 2012.
“However, due to slope failure that occurred in 2010, the construction of classrooms, academic block and school canteen was stopped upon advice by a geo-technical expert so it was subsequently taken out from the project scope in 2014.”
On the sports school in Kuching, Manyin said the state government had been pursuing the matter for quite some time now and “the Sarawak Education Department has made a request to MoE for its establishment”.
He also explained that teacher shortage has been discussed with the federal education minister.
“We brought up the matter to the attention of the prime minister in February 2021.
“The response – they will study the proposal and look into ways to solve the problem once and for all. We hope that MoE will take action immediately.”
Manyin also took a swipe at Baru, saying: “He was the co-chairman of Mesyuarat Tindakan Pembangunan Negeri, a committee in charge of the overall project development by the federal government in Sarawak between 2018-2019, where he had the authority to solve the problem, yet he never raised the issue or attempted to settle the problem.”
“He should have reached out to MoE in order to understand the actual problem and provide suggestions for practical solutions, instead of just throwing criticisms,” he added.
