Dr Sim presents government grants to 68 local NGOs
KUCHING: Sixty-eight voluntary and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) received government grants from Minister of Local Government Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian at SUPP headquarters here yesterday.
The minister, who is also SUPP president, said he would always fulfil whatever he had pledged to any voluntary association and NGO.
“Although it may take some time to acquire funding from the government, you would surely get whatever I have promised (to you). You may think it is so slow, but it is not because of me. It is because of the relevant agencies,” he said.
Dr Sim said as a senator, an assemblyman and a state minister, he said he had to go through two different finance ministries – one at satet level and another at federal level.
“This means I have to meet two different finance ministers.”
He said one might ask why it took so long for them to get their grants, while the rest got theirs fast.
“My answer is the finance minister at federal level is different from the finance minister in Sarawak. If I give grant to you with my allocation from the state government, you may get it fast. But if I decide to give grants to you via my allocation from the federal government, you may get it a bit slow. One thing is for sure – I will come,” he said.
Dr Sim added that he had presented government grants amounting to about RM5 million to 412 NGOs since his appointment as the Local Government Minister.