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By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, July 23: Sarawak Premier and Gedong assemblyman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has requested the State Education Department prepare the cost estimate report for the construction of new blocks for SMK Gedong.
Abang Johari also disclosed that he and International Trade, Industry, and Investment (Mintred) Sarawak advisor Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais will ask the State Education Department to hire a consultant for the construction of the said blocks.
“This is a special allocation, and Naroden and I have estimated the cost to be around RM15 million, and since it will be brand new, it is comparable to constructing a new school,” he said during his speech at the Emart Youth Leadership Camp closing ceremony, which took place today at SMK Gedong in Simunjan.
Meanwhile, earlier in his speech, SMK Gedong headmaster Abdul Wahab Bujang revealed the school has submitted an application request for maintenance funds for several school buildings and facilities through the Fourth Rolling Plan (RP4) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), but is still awaiting a response from the respective agencies.
He then listed a number of requests of the school, including:
1. Construction of a new Special Education Integration Programme (PPKI) building with five classrooms, as the existing block is unsafe and must be demolished, and PPKI students are currently compelled to learn in the computer room;
2. Construction of a 15-classroom academic block to replace an unsafe cabin block and a heritage block;
3. Construction of a multipurpose hall with a capacity of 800–1000 people for official activities/programmes which can be shared with the villagers;
4. Construction of a new skills workshop block as the current workshop block is unsafe and must be demolished (Sarawak Skills and SMK Gedong have a good collaboration to develop Technical;
5. Vocational Education Training (TVET) skills, and Sarawak Skills also plans to open skills classes at SMK Gedong, but it is understood that they are still waiting for fund approval.);
6. Construction of a new parking area to accommodate the growing number of teachers’ and parents’ vehicles;
7. Maintenance and construction of drainage systems in school fields to encourage sports programmes; and
8. Completion of the existing school assembly site’s roof
Also present at the event were Naroden, Samarahan Resident Irwan Bahari Bujang, and Emart Group of Companies founder and managing director Ngu Ting Sii. — DayakDaily
