Sarawak agrees to special account for funds for dilapidated schools
The Sarawak government has accepted the proposal by the Ministry of Education (MoE) that the RM1 billion sum to fund the repair of dilapidated schools in the state be parked in special account which will be monitored by a commi ee.
Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had agreed to the proposal a er it was brought up to him by Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik and MoE secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Gazali Abas.
“Mazsle and the MOE secretary-general met the chief minister on April 24 and proposed that the RM1 billion should be parked in the special vote (account).
“The special vote is to be monitored by a commi ee which will consist of people from MoF (Ministry of Finance), MoE and the Sarawak government.
“That was their proposal and the chief minister has accepted it. So we are waiting for their (MoE) to reply (on the acceptance of the proposal),” he told reporters a er launching the Southern Region Primary Schools Management and Leadership Course, here yesterday.
According to Manyin, he met Mazslee in a meeting in Kuala Lumpur last week and was asked why the Sarawak government had yet to reply on the proposal.
“I informed him that we had in fact already replied. It appears there was some miscommunication somewhere, but we have replied to them that we have accepted their proposal.
“I have already faxed the reply to them (MoE) and we hope that a er this, they will take action,” he said.
LIMBANG: The Sarawak government has ordered a Cessna cargo plane to boost exports of agriculture products to Singapore and other markets within its range.
Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail said this at the Raya Ramah Tamah celebration at Limbang Malay Community Centre in Bunga Raya on Sunday.
He, however, did not offer details on the model of the cargo plane produced by a popular American aircraft manufacturing company which is now under the wings of Textron Aviation.
Cessna has Super Cargomaster and Super Cargomaster Ex models under its cargo planes portfolio, with the catalogue price of USD1.45 million ( RM6 million) and USD1.9 million (RM 7.87 million) respectively in 2017, according to www. aircraftcompare.com.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on June 20 said the purchase of the plane was being arranged through Hornbill Skyways and it would be delivered either by the end of this year or first quarter of next year.
He made the announcement at a press conference after officiating the soft opening of Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) at Robinson Road, saying with the cargo plane, the state would be able to export its agricultural products to countries such as Singapore and other strategic markets in the region, rather than relying on commercial airlines.
Last year, he said the plane has the capacity to carry three containers including refrigerated ones or three tonnes equivalent.
Dr Abdul Rahman said the acquisition of the aircraft is aimed at exporting quality agro products to Singapore and he urged the people in Limbang to take advantage of the opportunity by venturing into agriculture.
“To generate income for Limbang division, the government is working towards increasing commercial agriculture production, including 10 hectares of Nenas Keningau Diamond in Kampung Pendam,” he said.
Also planned is providing the much sought-after Musang King durian seedlings to those who applied for them, he added.
On the statement by Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng that Sarawak would go bankrupt in three years if it continued with annual budget of RM11 billion, Dr Abdul Rahman said it was a hogwash and unsubstantiated assumption. “It does not reflect the good financial management of the GPS state government and revenue fundamentals of Sarawak,” he said.
Also present at the function were Limbang MP Hasbi Habibollah, Limbang District Council walikota Sufian Mohat, Limbang Malay Association chairman Mohamad Abu Bakar and Limbang Division Jais officer Ustaz Abang Azman Abang Mohamad.