Lau: Trust fund yet to receive title for land

SIBU: A plot of about 2,000 hectares has been approved for the Sarawak Chinese Private Secondary Schools Trust Fund, but its chairman Temenggong Vincent Lau said the title for the land has yet to be given.

He told reporters this yesterday at the office of Second Finance Minister and Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh at Level 15, Wisma Sanyan here.

Lau said the trust fund had received documents from the Land and Survey Department but the land title would only be given until certain matters had been cleared.

“According to a letter from the department, we have to pay the premium of RM1.482 million. This will be quite a burden for Chinese education though we may pay by instalment over a 10-year period.

“That is why we want to get the assistance of Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh for the government to either waive the fee or reduce it,” he pointed out.

According to a letter from the department, we have to pay the premium of RM1.482 million. This will be quite a burden for Chinese education though we may pay by instalment over a 10-year period. Temenggong Vincent Lau, Sarawak Chinese Private Secondary Schools Trust Fund chairman

He said they were required to pay an annual quit rent of RM5,000 for the next 60 years, which he believed would not be a problem for them.

Expressing gratitude to the government for the land, Lau said the property would be an important asset for the trust fund to generate funds for the development of Chinese education.

He said the board of trustees would also explore the possibility of investing in oil palm plantation to generate funds for the 14 Chinese independent schools in the state.

The approved land is situated at Sungai Palutan, Miri Silat Land District.