Schools, religious bodies can apply for allocation now
KOTA KINABALU: Application for allocation from the State government for Chinese schools and non-Islamic religious bodies next year is now open.
Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang, said Chinese schools and nonIslamic religious organizations in Sabah can submit their applications starting today (February 23) till April 30, 2017.
He said there are two kinds of application forms, namely allocation for repair and maintenance or allocation for development. The forms are available at the Minister of Special Tasks’ office or State Treasury Department.
Teo said the application period and deadline for the State government allocation had been brought forward this year to allow his office and the special committee ample time to evaluate the applications and disburse the funding sooner this year.
He said all applicants, particularly organizations that have received the allocation last year, are required to attach a report on the usage of the funding, as well as the latest construction progress report and photographs of the developments in the respective schools, temples or churches.
“We will closely monitor the development progress of the applicants,” he said.
Based on past experiences, Teo said some organizations who have received the government allocation for repair and maintenance only submitted a onepage report without any supporting documents.
“We hope the organizations which have received the allocation in previous years could attach before and after pictures of the repair and maintenance works to ease our evaluation process,” he said.
Teo added the State Government had maintained the allocation of RM32 million for this purpose in the 2018 budget tabled in the State Legislative Assembly last year.
He said RM12 million out of the RM32 million would be allocated to Chinese schools, independent secondary schools, conforming secondary schools and mission schools, while the remaining RM20 million would be disbursed to nonIslamic religious bodies in Sabah.
Teo urged the schools or religious bodies to submit their application forms to the Minister of Special Tasks’ office or State Treasury Department before the deadline on April 30.
He said his ministry and the State Treasury Department would also provide a receipt to acknowledge the submissions.
“Some organizations claimed that they have submitted their applications but my ministry and the Treasury Department did not receive the documents,” he said.
Hence, Teo reminded applicants to request for a receipt and signature from the officer to whom they handed the documents to as acknowledgement of their submissions.