By Brad Rantayy
LONG LAMA, May 3: Telang Usan assemblymen Dennis Ngau has commended the community here for transforming SJK Kee Tee from a one-class `pondok’ (hut) school some 100 years ago to a modern and well-equipped primary school today.
“Considered as one of the most rural Chinese schools, SJK Kee Tee, now led by the school board of management chaired by penghulu Desmond Yap, is a very good example for others to emulate,” he said during the school’s fundraising event last Saturday.
Dennis added that the previous federal government had also helped turn the school into what it is today. For instance, former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak approved on the spot RM1 million when he requested for it in 2011 to build new school blocks.
“With that money, the school management committee managed to finish the construction,” he said.
Dennis said SJK Kee Tee is today a truly multi-racial Chinese school, as more than 80 per cent of its 119 pupils are non-Chinese.
On another matter, Dennis told those present that the state government planned to connect Long Lama town with Long Bedian and later with Long Iman. From there, visitors merely needed to take a 15-minute boat ride to the famous Mulu National Park.
This means that people who wanted to go to Mulu could do so through Long Lama, which would be good for the local economy.
Meanwhile, Dennis announced RM15,000 minor rural project (MRP) grant for the school hall project. He also announced RM10,000 for the Lama Culture and Music Club. — DayakDaily
