By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, April 5: The Sarawak government is ready to advance its own funds to build the new Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Abang Ali in Sibu, should there be delays in federal financing for the project, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced.
Speaking at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri gathering in Sibu last night (April 4), Abang Johari expressed strong support for the establishment of the new secondary school, which he said is crucial for the local community.
“We will discuss this with the federal government. If they face a shortage of funds, we are willing to start construction first and they can reimburse us later,” he said. An audio recording of his speech was made available to DayakDaily afterwards.
Adding a personal touch to his announcement, Abang Johari shared that his wife, Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang, is an alumna of the existing Abang Ali school and has been encouraging him to prioritise the project.
“There has been some pressure from my family too. This is because Amni (Juma’ani) who studied at Abang Ali, keeps asking me when we will start building the new school. Otherwise, I might end up having to sleep outside,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the audience. – DayakDaily
