State’s first matriculation centre will be built in Sematan

LUNDU: Sarawak’s first matriculation centre will be built on a 40ha site at the old airstrip of Sematan Bazaar, some 25km from here, revealed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said currently Sarawakians do their matriculation in Labuan.

“The federal government gave us the green light to build the first matriculation centre in Sarawak to be sited at Sematan before the demise of the late Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

“Our intention to build such a facility here is because we have a beautiful environment conducive for our children to further their studies. This will also ensure that we can make Tanjong Datu into an education hub as well as an ecotourism centre.

Our intention to build such a facility here is because we have a beautiful environment conducive for our children to further their studies. This will also ensure that we can make Tanjong Datu into an education hub as well as an eco-tourism centre.

“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has assured me that it will be implemented once we have sufficient funds in the coming second rolling plan. Hopefully, we will get the necessary budget by end of this year,” Wan Junaidi told the media after the presentation of land titles at Chung Hua School Hall here yesterday.

Even though the project might take some time to materialise, he expressed optimism that the centre could be operational by 2020.

“We hope it can be ready by 2020 as we will have enough time to implement it from now until then. From now on, I will discuss with the prime minister. At the same time, I will find ways on how to get a ‘smart financing way’ to implement the project,” he assured.

According to him, the issue of the matriculation centre has been highlighted by Members of Parliament from Sarawak because currently both Sarawak and Sabah share one such centre which is located in Labuan.

“That’s why they (Sarawak MPs) keep on requesting that Sarawak should have one,” he said.

Wan Junaidi, who is also Santubong MP, pointed out that students from Sarawak faced many issues at Labuan Matriculation Centre such as limited rooms at the hostel and limited facilities, which inevitably increased the cost of sending students there.

“Initially the centre was proposed to be built at Telaga Air in Matang but the late chief minister requested that it should be built here in Tanjung Datu because he wanted this area to become an educational hub,” added Wan Junaidi.

Meanwhile, Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the promise of the matriculation centre was not because of the byelection but had been planned by Adenan, who was the incumbent for the seat before his demise, to further develop Sematan.

“This is the gift from the government not only for the people here in Tanjong Datu but for the whole state. So we hope that voters here will continue to support BN during polling day this Saturday,” added Awang Tengah.

Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment