'Ah Jib Gor' gives RM2.5mil 'ang pow' to school in KL

Seldom does an elder sibling come by without bearing goodies.

In keeping to what may be regarded as an Asian tradition, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak did not disappoint when he called at Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Chong Hwa Jalan Gombak in Kuala Lumpur today.

‘Ah Jib Gor’, or ‘elder brother Najib’ in Chinese, announced an allocation of RM2.5 million for the construction of a new building for the school, the ‘ang pow’ (cash packet) coming just two days before the Chinese new year of the dragon on Monday.

“As brother Ah Jib Gor, I want to give an ‘ang pow’ to this school. This is a sincere contribution to the people,” Najib said during a visit to the school as part of his tour of several places in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur today.

The prime minister said the government had approved the development model of the project, and the money was part of the Budget 2012 allocation for Chinese national-type schools.

‘Ah Jib Gor’ is the name the prime minister uses for his Chinese account on social website Facebook which has thus far attracted 12,000 fans.

Najib described Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Chong Hwa as a good school but said the building was a little old. He also said that the contribution was tax exempt.

He wished the estimated 1,000 students present a happy Chinese New Year and expressed the hope that the Year of the Dragon would bring success to all of them.

“The Year of the Dragon is a good year for elections ... or, perhaps, next year,” he quipped.

Accompanying Najib on the visit was Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin. Also present was SMJK Chong Hwa board of governors chairperson Lim King Hoo.

‘Developed nation in five or six years’

In his address, Najib also said that if the national economy grows by five to six per cent annually, Malaysia will achieve the status of a developed nation in five or six years from now.  

“When we are a developed nation, all the people, directly or indirectly, will enjoy the benefits from the huge transformation the country will have undergone,” he said.  

The prime minister said the spillover can be seen in terms of the salary raise for civil servants, higher prices for oil palm and rubber enjoyed by smallholders, and a business sector that is doing well.

Najib said that when the government administers well and the country enjoys peace and harmony, economic growth will be positive.

“It is for this reason that we must have confidence in the government’s efforts. Transformation with the people’s support will be successful. Do not gamble your future. The government has proven it is capable of bringing about a transformation,” he said.  

- Bernama