Dr Annuar Rapaee – File photo
SIBU: Repair works have begun on some of the dilapidated schools in Sarawak, but funding for these repairs are not from the state’s contra deal with the federal government, says Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee.
He said he had to clarify on the matter as certain quarters had misinterpreted the remarks by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Aband Johari Tun Openg that none of the state’s 1,020 dilapidated schools had been repaired.
“No, no….that is not what CM meant. What CM is saying is where is the RM700 million that the Sarawak government has paid to Putrajaya gone to? The list of dilapidated schools, including specifications, had already been submitted to them (federal government).
“So why is the RM700 million out of RM1 billion in the contra deal still not used to repair the dilapidated schools? That is what CM meant, and not that none of the dilapidated schools in Sarawak have been fixed.
“Of course there are on-going repairs to dilapidated schools but that is through state funding, previous (national) budget allocation as well as the 11th Malaysia Plan, not from the contra deal,” Dr Annuar said yesterday.
Following an event in Kuching on Tuesday, Abang Johari told reporters Putrajaya had reneged on the contra agreement to repair the state’s dilapidated schools, saying that although the Sarawak had paid RM700 million out of the RM1 billion contra deal, not one of the said schools have been fixed.
“When we (state government) paid RM700 million (of the contra deal) to fix our dilapidated schools, they (Putrajaya) said must follow the new way.
“But not a single (dilapidated) school has been fixed, although money has been paid,” the chief minister was quoted as saying.
Dr Annuar said in 2018, Sarawak received RM419 million in federal funding to repair 116 dilapidated schools, while for 2019, the amount was RM100 million to repair 32 such schools.
However, he said there is no allocation from Putrajaya for this purpose this year due to the availability of the RM1 billion contra deal – something he described as unfair.
“This is because the said RM1 billion for Sarawak to repair its dilapidated schools should be over and above the annual budget, rather than being a part of the annual budget,” he argued.
In comparison, the Nangka assemblyman said the Sarawak government had allocated RM347.465 million for various school and education-related initiatives, including the relocation and rebuilding of SK Ulu Segan in Bintulu and SK Maludam in Betong.
“There is also the rural transformation initiatives involving 66 rural schools; supply of electricity from the state grid to rural schools; and supply of treated water from the main pipe to rural schools,” he added when listing some of the initiatives.