KUCHING: More people are questioning the rationale behind Chong Chieng Jen’s suggestion for the state government to use the state’s RM34 billion reserves to repair and upgrade dilapidated schools.
The latest to tick off the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister, over his preposterous proposal is Murum assemblyman Chukpai Ugon , who argued that education and health come under the purview of the federal government.
Chukpai said the previous federal government under former prime minister Najib Razak had promised RM1 billion for the repair and upgrading of dilapidated schools in the State for 2018 and 2019.
But now, he said the new federal government under Pakatan Harapan cannot give the money and it is not even in their budget. That is why the state government is telling the new Pakatan Harapan federal government that we loan them RM1 billion and they have to pay us back later, he pointed out.
He said in the State Budget 2019 announced by the Chief Minister recently allocated RM80 million for dilapidated schools in the state.
“Some are asking if the federal government doesn’t pay us (the state back) , what are going to do? It is not that we don’t want, we have no choice but we repair the dilapidated schools, eventhough it is under the purview of the federal Government,” he said.
Chukpai said there are nine primary schools and one secondary school in his constituency and all are dilapidated. He informed there are two schools in Tubau that are in very dilapidated
condition and always got flooded about three to four times a year; and that, they need to be relocated. He said under the previous government before the ministry had approved the relocations of the two schools.
Chukpai said in Murum Resettlement Scheme, there are two schools – SK Matalun and SK Tegulang that are until now still using occupying (menumpang) the SEB site office.
“The construction of new schools had been approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan. The sites had also been identified. But now we don’t know whether it will continue,” he said.
Chukpai said there are a number of schools in his constituency that are quite dilapidated, especially Long Urun and Lusung Laku. He said SK Long Geng and SK Batu Keling are also congested.
SMK Bakun also lacks a lot of facilities such as teachers’ quarters. The school has about 80 teachers and about half them are staying in homestay and longhouses, the Murum assemblyman pointed out.
Meanwhile, Kedup assemblyman Martin Ben said there was no issue of the Sarawak state government not wanting to help repair and upgrade dilapidated schools in Sarawak although education is a federal matter.
This was clearly stated by the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in his State Budget 2019 in the just-concluded State Legislative Assembly sitting, he added.
In fact, the state government has even offered to provide loan amounting to RM1 billion to the federal government to do the repair work but until now there is still no response, he lamented.
According to Ben, in his constituency alone, there are altogether 22 primary schools but none had been forced to close down due to their dilapidated condition.
However, he said, there are a few schools that urgently need upgrading and repair works.
Earlier on Thursday, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) youth secretary Milton Foo, in response to Chong’s suggestion, asked the latter to ‘use his brain’ before asking the Sarawak government to utilise its reserves for the purpose.
