KUDAT: Banggi Assemblyman Datuk Mohammad Mohamarin has recalled a formative moment more than 30 years ago when he, then a fisherman's son, first met Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the laying of the foundation stone for SMK Banggi in Pulau Banggi in 1994.
At the time, Anwar, then Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, urged students to study hard, a message Mohammad said deeply influenced his life and future direction.
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He was among the first cohort of SMK Banggi students to sit for SPM in 1997 and said the experience helped shape his determination to improve the lives of island communities.
Mohammad, now a three-term Banggi assemblyman, said opportunities for education were limited on the remote island, where many families depended on fishing.
He himself often spent school holidays at sea for days at a time, which strengthened his belief that education was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
He later served as a teacher for over a decade in island and Kudat schools before entering politics around 2017, where he prioritised education empowerment in his constituency.
His office has since introduced a RM500 cash incentive for Banggi students who continue their studies at higher learning institutions.
He also noted ongoing development needs in Pulau Banggi, particularly basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, and roads, which require federal support due to high costs.
He expressed hope that continued attention from the federal government will help improve both infrastructure and educational opportunities for the island community.
