By Abd Ra’ai Osman
Pix Abd Ra’ai Osman

GUA MUSANG, KELANTAN, 7 May 2015 – The National University of  Malaysia (UKM) has donated books and othet reading materials as well as computers to two schools here that were devastated by floods earlier this year in Kelantan.

In the first ceremony the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students and Alumni), Prof Datin Dr Noor Aziah Mohd handed over the contributions to the headmaster of the Limau Kasturi Primary school (SKLK) Haji Che Azmi Mohd Nor, on 19 April.

UKM had set up a flood relief mission for  SKLK on 5th January 2015. Subsequently, UKM had sent volunteer teams six times to clean the school and dormitories.

Teams of volunteers had completed repairs to the resource centre room which was ready by the time the presentation ceremony of reading materials took place.

The Gua Musang district was among the districts hardest hit by the floods earlier this year and SKLK amongst the schools devastated with many government assets including laboratories and furniture damaged.

Files, records and information relating to all students and lessons were also destroyed.

According to Prof Noor Aziah, UKM organised a donation drive for  computers and resource center materials in February and March of this year. The campaign also received donation of books and cash from corporations such the BookXcess Book Company, the UNIKEB UKM cooperative, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and generous individuals.

“This morning, I am honoured and proud to hand over a donation of materials for the Resource Center in the form of scientific books, story books and computers for the school library, as well as opening a resource center that had been restored by volunteers from the UKM Development Management Department,” she said in her speech.

She added that the impact of the floods was plain for all to see when she took part in the flood relief mission.

Prof Noor Aziah hoped this effort would encourage the students to make full use of this resource center to acquire knowledge and to continue to make progress towards excellence. This effort was also expected to streghthen ties between UKM and SKLK.

The campaign received support from the Ministry of Education, the District Education Office, the Higher Education Bureau of the Gua Musang parliamentary seat and the district’s undergraduates association.

Also present were the Head Librarian of UKM’s Tun Seri Lanang Library  Hafsah Mohd, Director of  the Centre for Development of Students and Alumni Assoc Prof Dr Roslee Rajikan, as well as senior officials of UKM.

In another occasion later, Dr Roslee handed over donated books and computers to the Kuala Sungai Primary School.