SIBU: Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee has welcomed Putrajaya’s move to allow Sarawak and Sabah to decide on the implementation of any infrastructure projects under RM50 million in their respective states.
The Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation, and Talent Development said it will help to expedite efforts to repair dilapidated schools in the state.
Viewing the move as a positive decision by the federal government, he recalled that previously whenever something required a notice of change in planning, the Sarawak government had to refer to the federal authorities.
“Getting approval from Kuala Lumpur for such a matter will take a longer time. That’s why this decision where the project under RM50 million will be managed by the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) is a positive step.
“It will reduce a lot of bureaucracy and further speed up the projects to be implemented especially when dealing with poor schools in Sarawak,” he said in a video clip posted on his Facebook page today (Jan 5).
The Nangka assemblyman also said that the implementation of projects to repair dilapidated schools not only needs a different design compared to Malaya, but also involved the state’s different logistical problems.
“The Industrialised Building System (IBS) for instance is used comprehensively in Peninsular Malaysia, the same system might not be used in Sarawak because the long distance from the city would pose transportation problems,” he said.
Dr Annuar also said most of the dilapidated schools that had been repaired or rebuilt were estimated to have cost between RM20 million and RM30 million.
Hence, with the federal decision, he is confident that the projects to repair dilapidated schools can be expedited.
