Dr Annuar: Give time for Maszlee to visit rural schools in Sarawak

SIBU: Assistant Minister of Education and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee has asked for Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik to be given more time to fulfil his promise of visiting schools in Sarawak.

“To be fair to him, perhaps, at the moment, he (Maszlee) is still tied up with his ministerial functions and the on-going Parliament sitting.

“We (Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research) have extended an invitation for him to visit Sarawak, to see for himself first-hand, the situation of schools in rural Sarawak,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He said that on June 22, a delegation led by Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin had met up with Maszlee in Putrajaya.

“However, he (Maszlee) must fulfil his promise to come as soon as possible.”

Dr Annuar, who is also Assistant Minister of Housing and Public Health, was asked on the reactions of many netizens requesting Maszlee to come and see for himself the condition of schools in rural and interior Sarawak following a fire at SK Batu Bungan in Mulu on Wednesday morning, which claimed the life of a young teacher.

They made the requests through the minister’s Facebook page, after he posted a condolence message for the late Catherine Janet Tiwi, the 25-year-old teacher who perished in that fire.

“Please pay a visit to schools in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak. All those reforms in education come in second. Basic needs like safety, water and shelter aren’t met,” said one FB user with the account name Jia Yiing Ho in response to Maszlee’s posting.

Maszlee had earlier on Wednesday evening posted his condolences to the family of the late Catherine, and expressed his deepest sadness over the tragedy in SK Batu Bungan.

Dr Annuar assured that they would keep reminding Maszlee to come to Sarawak to see for himself the condition of schools.

Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching visited SK Batu Bungan and family of the late Catherine in Bau on Friday.