Upgrading dilapidated rural schools now your responsibility, PH govt told
KUCHING: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government is reminded that it is now its responsibility to upgrade dilapidated rural schools in Sarawak.
According to Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) team leader Dinis Repong, the PH government has a duty to provide unconditional funds to Sarawak for this purpose since education is under the authority of the federal government.
He noted that the Sarawak government was even willing to offer a RM1 billion loan to the federal government for the rebuilding of dilapidated schools, but Putrajaya must pay back this loan.
In addition, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg maintained that the move was not political in nature, but done out of concern for the safety of students.
“Oil and gas from Sarawak contributed RM50.5 billion to the federal coffers last year, and in 2017, the then-Barisan Nasional (BN) government announced an allocation of RM1 billion for the rebuilding of dilapidated rural schools.
“But today the federal government has frozen it (funding). How does Sarawak feel about it?” said Dinis.
He also questioned whether the federal government had been fair to Sarawak, asking about the reason for Sarawak to remain in the Federation of Malaysia if the federal government was like a ‘hungry tiger’ that took from the state – and yet, give back little returns.
“They only return five per cent (of petroleum royalty), but other channels of funds are either not approved, or frozen. Don’t try to cheat us or rob our resources,” he stressed.