Demise of former public works director a great loss: Harris

Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh said Sabah has lost a very dedicated and hard working person in the demise of former Public Works Department Director Datuk KS Fung (pic).

Fung, he said, was straight forward professionally and had managed Sabah infrastructure for over 20 years.

“I was privileged to meet the late Fung in the late 1950s. We were both colonial civil servants,” he said in a statement, Monday. “I was an Assistant Director at Sipitang. The late Fung was an Assistant Engineer from the Public Works Department Headquarters at Jesselton (then Kota Kinabalu).

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“On occasions, he visited Sipitang to provide advice on infrastructural development.”

Harris also said they were together during the Berjaya government, with Fung as the Public Works Department Director.

“At that time, most of the infrastructural and water works were under the Department. “I remember the late Fung changed the meaning of Jabatan Kerja Raja or JKR, what a number of the general public deemed JKR as ‘Jangan Kerja Rajin’. “He changed this to ‘Jasa Kepada Rakyat’. This was very appropriate,” he said.

He added that Fung and he (Harris) worked very closely to improve Sabah infrastructures. “We sometimes worked until midnight at my house in Likas. He was very dedicated, honest and focused on his responsibilities. “Despite limited Federal and State development funds, he still managed to transform Sabah to what it is today. “We managed to improve infrastructures, including water supply. There is still talk in town these days of the Berjaya government. “Credit must be given to the civil servants then, particularly heads of departments.”

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With their dedication, honesty and progressive thinking, the likes of Fung, he said, were among those heads of department who worked very hard and dedicated to progressing Sabah.

Fung passed away on May 8. The funeral service will be held at Fook Lu Siew Funeral Parlour, here, at 8.30am today (Tuesday) and thereafter, will proceed to Basel Cemetery, Mile 5½, off Tuaran Road, for burial.

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