By Gerald Lawson
SIBU: A proposed special committee to look into the issue of dilapidated schools in the state should include opposition members.
The formation of the committee follows the federal Cabinet’s decision to approve Sarawak’s repayment of a RM1-billion debt to the central government to fix dilapidated schools in the state.
This was agreed upon during Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s visit to the Chief Minister’s Department on Feb 20.
Bukit Assek assemblywoman, Irene Chang, in her press statement said the committee which comprises representatives from the Finance Ministry, Education Ministry and the state government should include a few of the state opposition members to ensure transparency.
“The inclusion of opposition members would prove Sarawak government’s sincerity and commitment to resolving the issue transparently instead of politicising it,” she said.
“There is much work for this special committee. They need to engage the attention of all the stakeholders and players in the industry. The state government has to be transparent because the federal government is taking a calculated risk by placing the fund and authority in an opposition state’s hands,” she said.
She hoped that the commendable move of keeping education out of partisan politics would prompt both levels of government to continue to seek ways to resolve other education issues plaguing the state and country.
She sees it as a step in the right direction for both federal government and state government to put aside their political differences while taking care of dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
The pupils in these rural schools have suffered enough and the federal government, which is constrained by the financial irresponsibility of the previous federal government, had put political pride aside by accepting the state government’s offer to the proposed contra formula, she said.
“This shows that the federal government is genuinely keen to resolve the issue and does not discriminate against Sarawak which is an opposition state,” she said.
In accepting the proposed formula, Irene said the federal government has to be aware of the many other benefits such as the spin-off effects for the state economy and the loss of interest by the federal government which might otherwise have been charged on the RM1-bln loan and which was not due for payment yet.
“The spin-off benefits would therefore come with the blessings of the federal government for the people of Sarawak,” she said, adding that the ball is now in the court of the state government to deliver and physically resolve the issue after a winning formula has been agreed to by both governments.
There are 1,020 dilapidated schools in Sarawak with 434 others in urgent need of repair.
