PBDSB questions timing of meeting over dilapidated schools
KUCHING: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru ( PBDSB) said the meeting between state and federal governments over dilapidated schools in Sarawak a political gimmick used to fish for Dayak votes since the general election is just around the corner.
Its president Cobbold John said in a press statement that most of the dilapidated schools in Sarawak are in Dayak-majority areas.
He said the party was questioning the timing of the scheduled meeting and the intensity of talks on rebuilding 260 schools now.
“The recent statement made by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg with regards to his meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Monday ( Oct 9) overdilapidated schools in Sarawak seems rather surprising if one could recall the previous statement made by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing in September this year.
“Every Sarawakian thought the state government was in the process of repairing or rebuilding the dilapidated rural schools after Masing’s statement. Now suddenly, the chief minister said he wanted to talk to the prime minister and deputy prime minister over the long overdue matter instead?”
“Former chief minister Pehin Sri Tan Sri Adenan Satem had even pursued the matter and sadly his wishes for rural school did not prevail either.
“If the federal government were to provide the funding to repair all the dilapidated schools, they would have done so by now. There seems to be different actions taken by different ministers in trying to resolve the matter,” Cobbold said
According to Cobbold, Masing did say on Sept 2 that the state government has decided to ‘ take the bull by the horns’ in solving the poor standard of education in the state by using state funds instead of waiting for funds from the federal government.