KUCHING: Politics and education don’t mix.
This is the message from Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg who said political sentiments must be separated from education to uplift the people’s standard of living.
He said political actions and reactions will occur when education is politicised, thus hindering the progress of education.
“If education is regarded as a fundamental necessity, it will certainly elevate the community’s standards of living. This is why it is crucial to remove politics from education as it will have an impact on the country’s development.
“We want continuous development, and for Sarawak in particular, we want to keep progressing,” he said when officiating at the closing ceremony of the 10th Malaysia Independent Chinese Secondary Schools Ball Games Championship 2023 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) last night (Aug 31).
Abang Johari reiterated Sarawak’s emphasis on education to ensure that everyone can fully benefit and is not overlooked.
He said quality education must be provided if the country and its people want to progress and advance.
“This is why the state government recognised the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) which is also recognised internationally. We are also building international schools based on the Cambridge syllabus and setting up our own universities.
“Now, China is among the world’s major markets, and if we want to sell palm oil to that country, we must be proficient in Mandarin. Hence, Sarawak places importance on education. Chinese, English, Malay, and other languages are all essential,” he added.
Abang Johari assured that the state government will continue supporting and stressing an education policy that benefits everyone in Sarawak.
