Abang Johari (fourth right) presents the cheque for the grant to Chua (third right) as Dr Sim (fourth left), Karim (third right), Poh (second right) and Fong (first left) look on. Photo by Penerangan
KUCHING (Feb 3): The Mill Hill Block restoration project at SMK St Joseph Kuching was given a much-needed boost after it received a RM2.5 million grant from the Sarawak government today.
The grant was presented by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, himself an ‘old boy’ of St Joseph School, during a courtesy call by St Joseph School Board of Management at his office in Wisma Bapa Malaysia this morning.
The delegation led by the acting chairman of the board Christopher Chua had briefed the chief minister on the latest developments and restoration progress of the St Joseph School’s Mill Hill Block.
Chua is also the acting chairman of the restoration project of the block.
Also present at the meeting today were Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian who is also Old Josephian Association (OJA) chairman, and another St Joseph School ‘old boy’, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Accompanying Chua in the delegation were school board patron Archbishop Simon Poh and board members Dato Sri JC Fong and Gerald Lee.
The restoration of the Mill Hill Block which started in August is estimated to cost RM5.5 million.
The project will see nine classrooms restored, the school office and staff rooms for staff and teachers upgraded as well as an addition of a new exhibition hall and lecture room to hold events as part of the school learning experience.
Government grants and donations from former students and well wishers ensured there were enough funds to start the initial phases of the restoration works.
The Mill Hill Block which housed the De La Salle Brothers is iconic not only to St Joseph’s School but also to the history of Sarawak as it was gazetted as a Heritage Building in 2010 by the state government under the Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance 1993.
The three-storey high Mill Hill Block comprises the main building in the centre with two wings.
The main building was declared open in 1894 by Rajah Charles Brooke, the Second White Rajah of Sarawak. In 1927, the three-storey two wings were added.
It has been reported in the media that the century-old main building, which has withstood the test of time, needs repairs while the two wings which had significantly deteriorated were declared by the Public Works Department (JKR) to be unsafe for occupation.
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