Covered drain project at SJKC Uk Daik for student safety

SIBU: The construction of a covered drain in front of SJKC Uk Daik, costing RM282,896, has begun and is set to be completed by Nov 9.

According to Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng Jin Ek, the project is part of the Projek Rakyat initiative and funded by the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC).

“It includes the construction of a covered drain 160m long and 1.2m wide,” he said when met by reporters during a site inspection today (June 27).

Chieng (right) being briefed on the project.

Chieng stressed the necessity of the project implementation for the safety and comfort of the students.

“The children currently have no place to wait for their parents, and the open drain in front of the school is a significant hazard.

“This road is not only used by the pupils of SJKC Uk Daik but also by those from Catholic High School and SJKC Sacred Heart Chinese, leading to severe traffic congestion.”

He added that the lack of a safe place for students to wait for their parents, along with no available parking, led the headmaster and the school board to request the construction of a covered drain.

He also expressed his gratitude to the SMC for approving the project, which will significantly benefit the students and the school.

“We will discuss the traffic flow in front of the school with the SMC and the school to ensure smoother traffic during the construction period. We will also inform the public about the safety measures around the project area.”

Chieng also said that the school has plans to install a roof in the area once the drain project is completed.

“We need to wait for the drain project to finish before the roof installation can proceed under the Rural Transformation Project (RTP) for Bukit Assek.”

Also present was SJKC Uk Daik headmaster Wong Kiu Sieng.