KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki paid a surprise visit to the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Langkawi yesterday following complaints from some parents, and found some of facilities to be in dire need of repairs and upgrades.
Among the more urgent and serious issues were the bathroom facilities, as he experienced personally and which were caught on camera, which he shared in a 4-minute, 45-second video clip on his Facebook account.
“Hmmm... jatuh!” he said with a frown after touching a toilet door that broke off its hinges and fell backward into the stall as soon as he touched it.
In an accompanying Facebook post, Asyraf explained his unplanned visit to the Langkawi MRSM.
“This was due to the numerous complaints I received from parents regarding the broken toilets that had not been repaired for a long time, the ongoing water supply issues that affected the students sitting for the SPM exams last year, unwashed food trays, and other welfare-related concerns involving the students.
“It turns out that some of these complaints were valid,” he wrote.
During that visit, Asyraf also checked out the water storage supply, the food freezer, the dormitory rooms for the co-ed students, their classrooms and interviewed the students and staff, and seemed to find validity to some of the parents’ complaints about the condition of the MRSM.
At the common canteen, he noticed that some of the food trays were not fully cleaned.
While walking along a corridor, he noticed a student wearing a face mask, prompting him to ask if the boy was unwell and if he had diarrhoea, which led him to ask about the fish they were served.
While seeming reticent, the group of boys he spoke with replied diplomatically and said some of the students claimed the fish on their plates had a bad smell.
Asyraf said he had repeatedly urged the management of MRSM and other educational institutions to prioritise the allocation of funds for the maintenance of basic facilities that directly impact the welfare of students and teachers, including toilets, learning equipment, dormitories, and classrooms.
He said the Mara Council had approved special funds to purchase additional water storage tanks and funding for water tanker services to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the Langkawi MRSM campus for the upcoming SPM examination students, due to ongoing water supply issues on the island.
“I hope Langkawi MRSM will return to being the best MRSM for future SPM candidates,” he ended.
