Road renaming
KUCHING: The renaming of Jalan Oya in Sibu to Jalan Brother Albinus in honour of the town’s Sacred Heart School former principal is befitting, says Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew.
“It is a befitting gesture to honour a great educationist who transformed the lives of so many in Sibu in particular and Sarawak in general.
“There are indeed many great educationists in Sarawak but the likes of Brother Albinus, who dedicated his whole life in a foreign land and changed so many of his students for the better, is very rare,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
He was responding to the renaming of Jalan Oya, which was confirmed by Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting, on Thursday.
Lau said the school board and Sacred Heart School Old Students Association (Shosa) had proposed for the name of the road in front of the school to be named after Brother Albinus for some time.
“I, being a member of the school board and former president of Shosa, am pleased to see that the proposal has been accepted by the Sarawak government and wish to thank the government for the approval.
“I am aware that changing of road names, especially one that has been used for a long time, should not be made lightly and must only be made for deserving cases.
“I am sure the change of a section of Jalan Oya to Jalan Brother Albinus comes within this deserving category,” he pointed out.
Lau said Brother Albinus O’Flaherty dedicated his life, leaving his homeland of Ireland, until the time he passed away in 2013 in Kuching as a member of the De La Salle Brothers whose motto was to educate the lost, the last and the least.
“Those who were fortunate enough to come under his charge have much to owe him. The society as a whole benefitted from what he did through education and through the many teachers he trained and molded in his style of teaching.
“Throughout his life, he led a simple and humble life and always living a life as a servant to God. He set a great example for all to follow.”
