Mary: DAP Junz Wong allegation misguided and total lie

KOTA KINABALU - Deputy Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap has dismissed DAP Likas Assemblyman Junz Wong’s allegations that she was resorting to delaying tactics on the SK Matanggal issue.

She pointed out that soon after learning the plight of the school in  Kampung Kinadaan, she instructed her Special Officer to look into the case which she had inevitably ‘inherited’ upon her appointment as the Deputy Minister of Education 1.

Describing Junz’s allegations as misguided and totally untrue, she said:

“Rather than pointing fingers, we checked with the Ministry of Education only to learn that the Ministry and State Education Department were already in the know and had taken steps to open SK Matanggal for which a letter of approval will be issued in due course,” she said.

In her rebuttal issued today, she stated that Junz should refrain from making statements on matters which he had no knowledge, especially when investigations are being carried out by the Ministry of Education with reference to the State Education Department and District Education Office, which will take time.

She assured that steps are being taken by the Education Ministry and state Education Department to open SK Matanggal in Beluran.

Mary was responding to Junz Wong’s recent statement on the allegedly deserted building of SK Matanggal in Beluran.

Junz questioned why the Education Ministry did not have an answer to the urgent matter concerning education for children in several villages in the area.

He claimed that children in villages such as Kg Kinadaan, Kg Koibotun and Kg Talidosun among others had been deprived of their basic rights to education.

According to Junz the school building was completed in 2011, with desks and chairs and other facilities in place but there was no sign of the school opening at all.

“Two years have gone and parents are getting frustrated because their children urgently need education. From Kg Kinadaan alone there are more than 114 children who are ready to study. Many families have been forced to move out of their villages because they want to seek education for their children elsewhere,” he claimed.

“I am a responsible leader who will not make any comment until I get accurate information or data from my officer and if he has to take some time to engage with the respective departments to find out the real situation, so be it.

“Unlike Junz Wong, I am not here to gain any political mileage and I will continue to serve the nation as an educationist addressing challenges and issues as deemed fit.  It must be emphasised that Junz Wong’s views do not represent those in the education fraternity,” said Mary.

She also questioned the true motive of Junz’s statements describing them as self-serving and only incited anger and dissatisfaction

Wong, his aides, parents and children posing in front of the school.
Wong, his aides, parents and children posing in front of the school.
among the peace-loving village folks in Kampung Kinadaan.

“Why make communities angry when the children are already schooling in SK Binsulung, Beluran in anticipation of the opening of the new school, SK Matanggal which is going to be very soon?” she questioned.

“By slandering me, he is just trying to gain some cheap publicity and what is so wrong about my suggestion in informing him to get in touch with the State Education Department so that he can understand the situation of the school?

“We have constructive leaders in the name of YB Christina Liew and former YB Melanie Chia and are women at that, who would go to the respective government departments to discuss issues with the officers,” she pointed out.

“Why can’t Junz emulate their leadership style and learn to be humble?” she said.

She also cited a popular quote of Jim Collins, a great writer on leadership: “Effective leadership consists of two criteria which are humility and the professional will to serve”.

“Sadly, these attributes are not reflected in the disposition of Junz Wong as a leader.

“I have no time to respond to either unreasonable demands or senseless comments from personalities of a different breed who do nothing but inculcate the unacceptable practice of being ungrateful and negative no matter how much the government has done for the nation.

“Such incitement must stop as I am deeply concerned about the type of generation that will be raised if we have destructive leaders,” she stressed.

By Samantha Rae