The Sarawak government has agreed to the Education Ministry’s counter-proposal to use its RM1 billion in contra loan on the state’s dilapidated schools.
The only thing to do now is to wait for approval from the Finance Ministry.
State Education, Science and Technology Research Minister Datuk Seri Micheal Manyin said once Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has given the approval, then an agreement would be signed.
“We are expecting to hear the positive news, hopefully before this Gawai,” he said in a press conference after delivering his ministerial winding-up speech yesterday.
When asked on why the state did not take care of the dilapidate schools when Barisan Nasional (BN) was in power, Manyin said education is under the purview of the federal government.
“And under BN, my ministry was not set up yet. We were very much dependent on the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Putrajaya.
“That is why the chief minister established my ministry – to compliment and supplement the MOE,” he said.
However, Manyin said the blame cannot solely be put on the federal government because Sarawak too was complicit in that it trusted the federal side to do the right thing.
“We also cannot blame Pakatan Harapan (PH) entirely, because this had gone on for 50 years,” he said.
Earlier in his winding-up speech, Manyin said last April 24, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik and his secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Gazali Abas submitted a proposal to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
They proposed that the RM1 billion from the state government be placed into a special account (vote) and not the Federal Consolidated Fund.
A tripartite committee consisting of the Ministry of Finance, Education Ministry, and Sarawak government would then be established to manage the fund and to oversee the school projects.
An agreement would then be signed between the federal and state government to ensure that the money is spend only on depilated schools in Sarawak.
The procurement process would be managed by the State Federal Tender Board, and Sarawak Public Works Department would be the implementing agency.
“We sincerely appreciate Maszlee’s efforts. He shares our concerns over the dilapidated schools and the quality of education in Sarawak, his understanding and sincere efforts in resolving the issues,” he said.
