Manyin (second left) hands over the first prize to the lucky draw winner as Anthony (first left) and others look on.

SERIAN: The 43-year-old SMK Tebakang will finally have a new dining hall to accommodate the big student population in this boarding school.

Youth, Sports and Solidarity Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong announced an allocation of RM600,000 to build this new dining hall this year.

He informed that with this new dining hall, boarders will not have to take their meals at the school’s multi-purpose hall anymore which served as their dining place.

“I was once the principal of this school, for eight years. I understand how troublesome it is to arrange tables for dining time at this school hall and then  having to shift and move the tables and chairs when there is function or important occasion.

“With this new dining hall, you have a designated place for your meal times and not at this school hall,” he said when officiating at SMK Tebakang’s 42nd Parents Teachers Association (PTA) annual general meeting at the school hall on Saturday.

Manyin, who is Tebedu assemblyman, also said he would continue honouring his pledge made in 1997 to give annual financial assistance to secondary schools in the constituency.

He said for this year, he was allocating RM20,000 each to SMK Tebakang, SMK Taee and SMK Tebedu.

He advised parents to prioritise their children’s education so that they could contribute significantly to the society.

He expressed hope that the spirit of unity and solidarity would continue to flourish among Sarawakians.

“Even the (federal) Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had remarked that West Malaysians have a lot to learn from Sarawakians in terms of unity and solidarity.

“Tebakang itself is the best example. Almost all the Malays in Tebakang can speak in Bidayuh. This truly shows the spirit of solidarity and unity. We visit each other during festive season, sometimes we sleep over at each other’s houses,” he said.

The PTA chairman Anthony Siong and school principal Charles Kored Juut also spoke at the function.

Also present were Serian District Council deputy chairman Dr Simon Sinang Bada, who is also SMK Tebakang Alumni Association president and Serian Education officer Yunus Apok.

Five lucky draw prizes were given away at the end of the function for parents and teachers attending the meeting.