MUKAH: Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg, disclosed that the Development Bank of Sarawak(DBOS) will be in operation in January next year.
“It is imperative for us to have our own bank to enable us to finance the various development projects for the state and its people. If without our own financial institution we would remain in the waiting especially on certain urgent projects,” he said.
He pointed out that improving the educational facilities like schools and Internet strength as among the areas identified by the state government as urgent matters to be addressed.
“For instance the schools, we have so many dilapidated schools in Sarawak which are now in a critical state. We could not wait any longer because if the matter were not to be addressed soon, more and more of our schools would be in the sorry stage if we were to totally depend for the fund from the Federal government. So, with that in mind, I decided to create our own Education Ministry to address this never ending story kind of problem,” he said.
The Chief Minister stated this while officiating at the 46th State Level Teachers Celebration 2017 held at Kingwood Resort, here, yesterday afternoon.
“It is not written in the constitution that we cannot have our own education ministry, but, one thing for sure is that we cover more objective areas by naming it as Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research. For repairing or redevelopment of these schools, we would use our own money first, and then later own we wanted Kuala Lumpur to pay it back to us because it is the responsibility of the Federal Government,” he added.
In jest Johari pointed out the if the federal government could not pay back, it could be settled through other mechanisms like the increasing of our oil royalty for Sarawak.
“We are very concerned about the sorry stage of the education facilities in the state, and we always want the teachers or educationists especially those in rural area to have better teaching life because I know some of the teachers have to stay in a store which would not only demoralise them but also would have an adverse impact on the children and the performance of certain schools,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ng Juen Hiang, was announced as the State Exemplary Teacher(Tokoh Guru) For the Year 2017, and Hajah Serina Sauni, as the recipient of Education Leadership Award.
Among those present at the function were Chief Minister’s wife, Datin Amar Dato Hajah Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Haji Bujang; Minister of Education, Science and Technological Resaerch, Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong; Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Hajah Fatimah Abdullah; Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; Assistant Minister of Education and Technology Reserch/Assistant Minister of Housing and Public Health, Dr Annuar Rapa’ee; Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs, Abdullah Haji Saidol; Mukah Member of Parliament, Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad and people’s representatives.
