Musa credited with giving financial assistance to schools, religious bodies

SANDAKAN: A Chinese community leader here has commended the Barisan Nasional ( BN) state government under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman for continuing to provide financial assistance to schools and nonIslamic religious bodies in Sabah.

“The financial allocation which has been increased annually since Musa became chief minister in 2004 has clearly shown his concern for the welfare of all students and places of worship in the State,” Elopura Kapitan James Leong said in his praise of the CM yesterday.

The fact that the grant has increased over the past 12 years is testimony to the prudent management of the state’s finance of which Musa is also the Finance Minister, James added.

“This year, the state government gave RM31,398,000 to 567 schools and non- Islamic bodies in Sabah. This figure included RM4,625,000 that was allocated to 37 schools and 63 places of worship in Sandakan,” James said.

James said RM171,107,180 had been disbursed since 2004 of which RM131,443,019 was given to national-type Chinese schools and kindergartens, independent Chinese and mission schools throughout Sabah.

The financial grant has enabled these schools to carry out repairs and improvements to make the school more conducive to the students, he added.

James also paid tribute to Musa for his vision of putting in place development programmes under the state government’s agenda for the future of the younger generations of Sabah.