BATU Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang commended the Premier’s visionary move to provide free tertiary education starting in 2026, making Sarawak the first in Malaysia to do so.
He applauded Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s foresight, recognising education as a top priority and highlighting the significance of investing in human capital.
“The proposed financing plan, involving a sovereign wealth fund with an initial investment of RM8bil in 2024 and planned annual allocations of RM300mil for the next two decades, will pave the way for Sarawak’s future prosperity.
“Acknowledging the Premier’s commitment to talent attraction and intellectual capital development, it’s important to prioritise technical and financial courses to enhance graduates’ employability in Sarawak’s evolving digital economy,” he told the august House.
Moreover, Lo advocated for reclaiming Sarawak’s education autonomy and urged unity among Sarawakians to negotiate with the federal government for greater autonomy in education and health sectors.
He went on to add that there’s a need for additional community leaders, including two village chiefs and three Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) members, to accommodate the growing population in the Batu Kitang constituency.
He said that the present village chief is already at capacity due to a large population in Mile 3 and Mile 6.
“Thus there is an urgent need for another village chief to take care of the Malay community in Batu Kitang and urgent need for a Bidayuh to assist the Dayak communities.
“I hope that the Premier’s office will recognize their hard work all these years and appoint them as JKKKs to serve their respective village.”
Furthermore, he addressed administrative hurdles faced by businesses, urging the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) to streamline the process for trade licence applications to reduce inconvenience for entrepreneurs.
He also raised concerns about water supply issues in Kampung Bunga Rampai and called on relevant authorities to address the persistent low water pressure affecting residents’ daily lives.
