Federal Cabinet approves RM1 billion debt repayment from S’wak for dilapidated schools

KUCHING: The federal Cabinet yesterday approved the repayment of a RM1-billion debt to the federal government from the Sarawak government to fix dilapidated schools in Sarawak.

Minister of Education Dr Maszlee Malik in his Facebook posting said the decision was made following the agreement between him and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during his visit to the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office on Feb 19 this year to discuss issues that would benefit 436,000 pupils across Sarawak.

Maszlee said a special committee comprising the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and the Sarawak government will be established to ensure transparency and efficiency in the usage of the fund to benefit the students and teachers of the schools.

He also said Sarawak Public Works Department would be appointed as the implementing agency.

“I hereby wish to thank the Federal Government and Sarawak Chief Minister, YAB Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Abang Haji Openg, for being together with me to ensure access to quality education a future reality for Sarawakians,” he said.

Abang Johari made a RM1-billion loan offer to the federal government inJulylastyeartorebuilddilapidated schools throughout Sarawak if the Ministry of Education is facing fund shortage.

The chief minister, when of f iciating at the state- level Teachers Day celebration in Betong then, had said he did not want Sarawak to be isolated from development that is taking place worldwide now.