Riot: Late Leichester was courageous in taking challenges
SERIAN: Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem is taking special interest in the case of the late Leichester Colin who died in a suspected hit and run road accident in Malacca.
The Serian MP said he had always thrown the challenge to Form 5 school leavers in his constituency to enrol at technical and vocational colleges in the country so as to be competitive in the job market.
As such, he described the late Leichester as among the few courageous Bidayuh lads who dared take the challenge despite coming from a poor family.
Leichester was a student of Advanced Technology Training Centre (Adtec) in Malacca, a diploma-level skills training institute under the Department of Human Resources, which comes under the Human Resources Ministry.
“Leichester was a bright student, he could easily be a fine example of why acquiring technical and vocational education is important to our children if he
Leichester was a bright student, he could easily be a fine example of why acquiring technical and vocational education is important to our children if he had not departed so suddenly. Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem, Human Resources Minister
had not departed so suddenly,” he said yesterday when visiting Leichester’s parents in Kampung Koran Bari, about 15km from Serian town along the Mantung Marau Road.
He handed over a cheque for RM16,000 from alife insurancefund of Adtec Malacca where Leichester was pursuing his diploma before the fatal accident.
Riot, who was accompanied by his political secretary Major (r) Peter Runin, praised Leichester’s parents, saying: “I must say you two are wonderful parents because you were there to give him the support all along even though you had very little yourself.”
Riot wished that all Bidayuh parents were like Leichester’s father and mother when it came to educating their children, saying: “While Malaysians may find it hard to fill up the 1.5 million jobs set to be created by industries by 2020, our children should be taking up all those jobs that require technical and vocational training where the pay is so much higher.”
He also said Leichester’s case was still under investigation by the police and advised the parents against signing documents brought to them without consulting him or his officers, to avoid being cheated by crooks and scammers.
He added that his office would be in constant communication with the police in Melaka and that Leichester’s parents need not worry on how the case was progressing.
In the Nov 12 incident, Leichester died on the spot from serious bodily injuries, while his pillion rider, another Sarawakian, sustained a broken arm.
Leichester’s remains were flown home two days later and buried the following day.