Federal-state pact on RM1 bln for dilapidated schools falls through
KUCHING: The federal government has withdrawn its deal with the Sarawak government on the allocation of RM1 billion for the state’s dilapidated schools as agreed last February.
Education Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Sri Michael Manyin announced the shocker at a press conference after officiating at a scholarship award ceremony at SMK St Joseph here, yesterday.
“We were told about the withdrawal in a recent meeting with Putrajaya,” he said.
Thus, the agreement on the proposed RM1-billion contra loan between the federal government and Sarawak has been nullified, he added.
“They stated that they (federal government) don’t want the contra loan. They want an advanced payment for which I’ve written a letter personally and, in their reply, they stuck to their decision,” he said.
Manyin also said that the matter has to be given consent again.
“So, what the Deputy Minister of Education said was about advanced payment. Actually, he should not have said that as it is the responsibility of the federal government to provide funds,” he said.
He further explained that the responsibilities over education are not under the state’s jurisdiction. It should be the other way around as it is the federal government that provides the funds and we build the schools.
“It’s their responsibility to repair and rebuild our dilapidated schools,” he stressed.
Manyin also expressed that the matter was also overlooked by the previous government (Barisan Nasional).
“I am not blaming the Pakatan Harapan government as the previous government had been coming over to Sarawak on various occasions. They came over, looked at the condition of the rural schools and they sympathised and empathised, and so on,” he said.
“When they went away … they forgot. That’s why the situation is still as it is today. Only words, sympathy and empathy, but nothing got done,” he said.
Manyin also expressed the hope that the Pakatan Harapan government is different from the previous government as it has seen the dilapidated schools in the state.
Currently in Sarawak, there are 1,020 dilapidated schools and 415 critically dilapidated schools.
Previously, in the 11th Malaysian Allocation Plan under Budget 2018-2019, RM1 billion for dilapidated schools in Sarawak was approved by the previous government but was cancelled by the present government.
