PM approves RM400,000 to rebuild SMK Lawas blocks destroyed in fire, says MP

MIRI (Nov 6): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has approved an allocation of RM400,000 to rebuild two blocks at SMK Lawas, which were destroyed in a fire last October.

Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong shared this news following a recent meeting with Education Minister Fadlina Sidek on the sidelines of the current Parliament sitting.

He also emphasised that addressing dilapidated school facilities and teacher shortages in Lawas were key issues he raised during his Budget 2025 debate in Parliament.

These issues are critical to the future of Lawas children, as they need proper facilities, adequate equipment, and sufficient teaching staff, he said, noting that Lawas has 35 national primary schools and four secondary schools.

“Most of the school buildings are in poor condition, especially those built around 30 and 40 years ago with construction materials that are partly made of timber and are not durable compared to concrete buildings,” he told the media on Tuesday.

Henry also urged Putrajaya to promptly address the shortage of teachers in both primary and secondary schools in his constituency.

“In terms of teaching staff, I understand there are 74 teacher vacancies in Lawas and recently there have been two principal vacancies at SMK Trusan and SMK Sundar for quite some time.

“I proposed that the role of the Sarawak State Education Department be further expanded for the purpose of speeding up the process of recruiting new teachers and filling vacant positions,” he said.

He also raised concerns about the impact of family separations on teachers’ performance, citing cases where one spouse teaches in Lawas while the other is stationed in Peninsular Malaysia.

Additionally, Henry called on the Education Ministry to relocate SK Siang-Siang, which is frequently affected by floods, to higher ground to ensure a safer learning environment for students.