This was said by Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan when giving the thumbs-up to the traditional fishing village for its remarkable record of producing many professionals.
“The educated pioneering group should make it a point to contribute their ideas and work with those in the village on how best to move Punang forward,” he said at the SRK Punang alumni reunion cum Hari Raya dinner at Hotel Seri Malaysia on Sunday.
The minister pointed out that they could help transform the mindsets and widen the horizon of their fellow villagers by emphasising on the need for good education to be successful while upholding good values and traditions.
“Those successful can give back by helping to change their world view and putting a proper perspective of life and contributing to the betterment of the village,” he said.
Saying it is normal to have differing views and opinions, he told his audience that it is important to uphold solidarity and consensus in order to bring the village to greater heights.
Kampung Punang in the Bay of Brunei has good tourism potential as it is an idyllic fishing village with a long beach, fresh seafood and other attractions such as the mangrove forests and dugong feeding ground.
The government has approved an allocation of RM1 million for the waterfront beautification project and another RM1 million for an iconic mosque with the locals allowed to decide on its design to reflect this picturesque village.
Meanwhile, Awang Tengah urged those still in the village to discard their inferiority complex and be confident in succeeding beyond their village, saying others before them had already proven that they had the tenacity and capability to succeed.
Among the successful sons of Punang is permanent secretary of Ministry of Industrial Development Datuk Liaw Soon Eng.
The gathering of over 200 was a nostalgic reunion of ex-students of the school between 1969 and 1989.
Organising chairman Omarali Matjais said some of them had not met for over three decades and the response to the gathering was beyond expectation.
A 20-minute slide show brought the diners down memory lane.
Awang Tengah later presented tokens from the organising committee to the group of orphans and illustrious children who had brought honour to the village through sports.
Others present were Awang Tengah’s wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud, Lawas district officer Hussaini Hakim and Penghulu Reduan Tahir.
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