SERIAN, March 15: Serian MP Dato Sri Richard Riot Jaem has expressed his disappointment over a viral social media post suggesting that boarding students at SMK Tebedu were provided with torn and smelly mattresses.
However, Riot clarified that the mattresses depicted in the news were not intended for students but were kept in the school store for disposal.
Taking a break from the ongoing Parliament session, Riot visited the school to investigate the situation firsthand and was satisfied after receiving a detailed explanation from the school principal, Albert Dundang.
Accompanying Riot during the visit were state Education Department deputy director Zamzaitul Akmal Hisham Ahmad, Serian Resident Caroline Cleophas Joseph, Serian education officer Bunsie Tuntom, Tebedu district officer Joseph Liaw, and local community leaders.
“I’m treating this matter very seriously, and I want to assure everyone that the mattresses shown in the news were not meant for the boarding students,” Riot emphasised.
As a former teacher and school warden himself, Riot asserted that providing such substandard facilities to students had never crossed his mind during his career.
“I believe that the school principal and teachers share similar values regarding the welfare of the students,” he added.
Riot mentioned that the viral photos were obtained from a third party, as the sender is located in Selangor.
His wife serves as the deputy treasurer of the school’s Parents Teachers Association (PIBG).
He also announced his intention to personally write to Minister of Education Fadhlina Sidek to provide clarification on the matter and to ensure that the true situation is understood.
Regarding the viral photo, attributed to Facebook user Mohd Firdaus Jailani, Riot noted that it had garnered over 100,000 views as of yesterday, unfortunately bringing negative attention to SMK Tebedu.
“Despite this, we must not adopt a confrontational approach. Instead, we need to focus on moving forward and providing quality education to the children,” Riot urged. — DayakDaily
