KOTA KINABALU: The Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Ranau, which was fully completed on Sept 25, will receive its first intake in March next year, said Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

He said the intake for Form One and Form Four involved a total of 180 students and the school is located at an altitude of 721 metres above sea level, making it the highest MRSM in the country.

“MRSM Ranau can accommodate a total of 450 students,“ he told reporters after the handover ceremony of MRSM Ranau from Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) to the Sabah government and MARA here today.

Also present at the event were Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who represented Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and Petronas president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik.

Situated at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu, MRSM Ranau was constructed with funding from Petronas.

Meanwhile, Petronas in a statement in conjunction with the ceremony said MRSM Ranau was developed at a cost of RM132 million as a result of a collaboration with the Sabah government and MARA.

“The facilities at MRSM have been carefully planned to meet the various needs of students, teachers, and the campus management and we are confident that the youth of Sabah will continue to achieve excellence in the academic field,“ read the statement. - Bernama