KUCHING: Chief Political Secretary to the Premier, Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman has called out Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen for the latter’s attempt at fact-twisting.
He dismissed the DAP leader’s argument that the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government gave the state government preferential treatment to have the RM1 billion paid by Sarawak to Putrajaya in a loan-contra deal as a direct grant to repair dilapidated schools in the state.
“That was not ‘preferential treatment’, it was ‘preferentially harsh treatment’.
“The PH federal government there and then could have coughed up the funds by themselves to repair the dilapidated schools had they chose to. But they did not.
“They ‘preferred’ to put us on a never-ending charade where the children in Sarawak was held to ransom over what can only be described as petty politicking,” Fazzrudin said in a statement today.
He was responding to Chong, who had earlier defended former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng for demanding that Sarawak repay its loan with the federal government before setting aside funds to repair the dilapidated schools in the state.
Fazzrudin pointed out that on matters that are sensitive as well as of urgent importance, PH leaders should have the political will to set aside their rift with the state government and give the necessary assistance.
“Sarawak PH leaders such as Chong himself should have fought for this rather than being silent and let the people of Sarawak bearing the brunt of political games.
“The people of Sarawak can see them for what they are and still remember how they were treated by DAP and PH,” the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member said.
He described Chong’s statement as being ill-conceived and was not sensitive to the needs of the people of Sarawak whereby the issue of the repair of dilapidated schools was treated as a political ploy by the DAP and PH.
“What must be stressed is that the responsibility to repair dilapidated schools – or any schools for that matter is by the federal government under the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
“Therefore, the Sarawak Government then is justified in demanding the federal government repair the schools in the state,” he said.
The Tupong assemblyman said with Putrajaya being limited on funds, the Sarawak government hahd set aside their differences with then PH federal government and offered to advance RM1 billion in loan repayment for the school repairs to materialise swiftly.
“This should have resolved the matter had it not been for the delay by the Finance Ministry – then headed by Guan Eng – in fixing the dilapidated schools.
“This showed that the PH government was not serious in assisting the students in Sarawak who were in dire need of improved education facilities,” he said.
