One more Chinese school in Kapit
KAPIT: The Chinese community here are happy now that they will have an extra Chinese medium school to be built here to accommodate the increasing number of student enrollment.
As it is, the only Chinese medium school here, SJK ( C ) Hock Lam, is overcrowded and an extra school is very much welcomed.
After years of tirelessness effort by Kapit Chinese Community Leaders’ Association, led by Temenggong Tan Kian Hoo, to apply for the relocation of SJK © Ming Tat, Sarikei to here (Kapit), their application has been approved.
Minister of Education Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, during his official visit to Kapit on March 9, had given his approval for the relocation of the school.
His visit here was the result of an invitation from Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak.
The application to relocate the Sarikei school is also supported by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing who is Baleh assemblyman, Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi who is Kapit MP, Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak, Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong and Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit.
Mahzir said that deputy director-general to the Ministry of Education Datuk Sulaiman Wak would follow up on the ( school relocation) approval.
Tan, meanwhile, said their immediate task was to raise fund to build the new school, adding that a piece of land in Bletih had been identified for the purpose.
Local Chinese leaders met with Mahdzir at Sri Baleh VIP Guest House when he came here to formalise the relocation of the school. Among the leaders were Pemanca Yong Thu Fook, Penghulu Sia Shui Poh, Penghulu Wong Kie Ing, Kapitan Yiap Yii Hoo, Kapitan Neo Kee Hoi, Kapitan Kong Chak He and Kapitan Yap Hui Le.
SJK ( C ) Ming Tat, Sarikei has been facing acute shortage of pupils for many years due to the rural-urban migration of parents seeking greener pastures elsewhere.