Parents of 220 students of a proposed primary school at Kampung Opar in the Bau district have expressed their anger over the failure of a company to carry out its contract works so much so that the Fire and Rescue Department has refused to give an occupation permit (OP) to the school.

Construction works commenced in early 2009 on a one-storey concrete building block which is meant to house the classrooms, staff room and the administrative area, as well as to provide a more conducive learning and work environment for both the students and the staff.

It was supposed to have been completed and to be handed over to the Education Department in November 2012 in time for the new academic year, 2013.

In highlighting the concerns of the parents, Boniface Willy Tumek, a PKR leader who is also a potential candidate for Mas Gading, said the company was allegedly owned by an assistant minister in the Chief Minister’s Office.

“Classes are conducted - for the time being - on a row of raised floors in a partly concrete building while waiting for the OP to be issued to certify the fitness of the building.

“It is, however, common knowledge that one of the more common reasons for the non-issuance of an OP for any building is that the building is not fit for human occupation - either because of essential utilities like water and electricity that have not been connected yet, or certain aspects of the construction works did not meet the set criteria and need rectifications or remedial works,” Willy said.

He said that electricity and treated water supply are available in Kampung Opar so that the problems with the school’s new block are not related to the electricity and water supply.

“Whatever they are, it now appears that the ministry had advanced knowledge of the problems associated with the construction, and that the problems were deemed to be serious enough to warrant a site-visit by the secretary-general of the Education Ministry and other senior officials of the ministry in 2012.

“The wakil rakyat (an MP and state assemblyperson) are also aware of the problems,” he claimed.

Willy said, “The questions that concerned parents and the people are asking are as follows.

Concerned people are asking questions

“If the ministry had prior notice or knowledge of the problems, why did they not take the sufficient and effective measures to address the problems and ensure that the building is handed over to the education department as originally scheduled?

“If the local wakil rakyat are aware of the problems, why did they not take it up with the ministry, exert pressure and ensure that the contractor delivered the building complete with its OP as originally planned?

“Was the position, and influence of the principal owner of the contractor’s company a consideration in the failure of all responsible parties to ensure that the contractor deliver as contracted?” he queried.

Willy added that the contract had been given to the company which is owned by an assistant minister in the Chief Minister’s Office, and that the individual is a very senior PBB leader.

“PKR urges the education minister to take immediate, adequate and effective measures against the contractor to ensure that the new school block is issued with the requisite OP, and to hand over the matter to the Education Department as soon as possible.

“In my opinion, merely requiring the contractor to pay monetary penalty for the late handover of an essential public facility does not adequately commensurate with the inability of the stakeholders to use said facility and with opportunities lost,” he stressed.

DUKAU PAPAU is a pseudonym. The writer is based in Sarawak.