KUCHING, June 15 — Sarawak Minister of Science, Education and Technological Research Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong said today that he should not be blamed for the delay in rehabilitating 415 dilapidated schools in the state.

He said he and his state ministry have nothing to do with the awards of contracts to contractors to rehabilitate the dilapidated schools, including 110 which are categorised as critical.

"I think the best person to ask is Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof because it was his ministry then which offered the awards to companies specialising in Industrialised Building System,” he told reporters at Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg’s Hari Raya Open House at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching here.

Fadillah was formerly the federal works minister.

Manyin was responding to comments by Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen two days ago over the delay in completing rehabilitating dilapidated schools in the state.

Chong had blamed the delay on the use of IBS materials which he said were not suitable for rehabilitating old buildings.

According to the Sarawak DAP chairman and Stampin MP, the repair works were 85 per cent behind schedule on the rehabilitation works of the school buildings.

He had said as IBS materials were pre-fixed at factories, they were only used in the construction of new buildings, but not for rehabilitating of dilapidated buildings.

Manyin said he was aware of the delay caused by the unsuitability of the IBS materials for the rehabilitation of dilapidated schools.

He said he would have given his views if he was consulted by the federal Finance and Works Ministries.

"I was never called for any meeting regarding the use of IBS and the award of contracts,” he said.

He said the contract works to rehabilitate the dilapidated schools were approved by the federal  Finance Ministry while the federal Works Ministry distributed the contracts to IBS companies through direct tenders.