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By Wilfred Pilo and Karen Bong
KUCHING, Aug 5: The Sarawak Private Chinese Secondary Schools Charitable Trust has returned the Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah building, which currently houses Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 on Jalan Haji Taha, Kampung Bandarshah, to the Sarawak government.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that this came following negotiations with the Chinese independent school charitable trust.
“Now we (the transition) are in the administrative phase. They will have a new school as the present location is not suitable for the school. We will develop a new school for them.
“The building and surrounding area will be preserved as a heritage site due to its historical significance. The Sarawak government has resumed ownership of this property,” he said when launching the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre at Jalan Haji Taha here tonight.
Abang Johari emphasised that the area will become a centre for all to honour and commemorate the struggles that had contributed to Sarawak’s independence within Malaysia.
“I extend my heartfelt thanks to the charitable trust for their intention to establish a new school,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Board of Management of Chung Hua Middle Schools No 1, 3 and 4 chairman Dato Richard Wee confirmed that the charitable trust has agreed to return the building to the Sarawak government.
In exchange, the Trust will receive a substantial plot of land to facilitate the construction of a new school.
“Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 will be relocated to a five-acre site near Stutong, in contrast to the current site, which spans slightly over an acre.
“Additionally, the charitable trust is also given a three-acre land in the same area,” he told DayakDaily when contacted tonight.
It was reported that the school’s current land is insufficient and incapable of accommodating any further expansion works. Additionally, the location adjacent to the main road is considered unsuitable.
Recognising these challenges, the School’s management board had already requested relocation to a more suitable location in 2020.
Premier’s wife, Datuk Patinggi Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang; Sarawak Legislative Assembly Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar; Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi; and Permodalan Satok Berhad executive chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain were present. — DayakDaily
