PM to assist in rebuilding razed blocks at SMK Lawas, says Awg Tengah

MIRI (Oct 30): The razed administrative and science blocks at SMK Lawas are expected to be rebuilt using a special allocation by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

In disclosing this, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this was the understanding reached aduringt his meeting with Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, on the sidelines of the Chief Ministers and Menteris Besar Conference in Kuala Lumpur recently.

He said further discussions will be held with the school and the Lawas District Education Office on the plan.

“The Prime Minister agreed to give special consideration to rebuilding the burned down blocks. So we will discuss later how it should be rebuilt,” he said.

The deputy premier recently visited the scene of the fire which destroyed the two buildings on Oct 22.

Accompanying him were Lawas MP Dato Henry Sum Agong, Northern Region Development Agency director Datu Ubaidillah Latip, and Lawas education officer Pengiran Abdul Kadir Pengiran Budin.

Awang Tengah, who is Bukit Sari assemblyman, said he will assist in facilitating the rewiring works for the school buildings and upgrading of the dilapidated assembly hall.

He also expressed sadness over the destruction of the old records of SMK Lawas, which is the first secondary school in the district, during the fire.

Its construction was approved by the colonial government in 1962, a year before the formation of Malaysia.

The authorities have said the fire was caused by an electrical short-circuit.