KUCHING, June 13 — The Sarawak state government is urged not to readily adopt industrialised building system (IBS) for upgrading of schools in the state, particularly those in rural areas.
State Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen claimed upgrading works using the IBS had caused huge delays and damages to roads used by lorries transporting the IBS materials.
The Member of Parliament for Stampin said the system was not suitable or feasible for schools in rural areas as different locations needed different designs aside from the exorbitant transportation cost.
“Progress works is 85 percent behind schedule and we also received complaints that these lorries plying materials for IBS materials damaged roads due to heavy load.
“I urge Datuk Seri Michael Manyin, the minister in-charge of education in Sarawak to look into the matter as he has been talking about upgrading of schools in the state,” Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman, told a press conference here today.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced in Budget 2018 that Sarawak and Sabah had been allocated RM1 billion each to upgrade their schools.
On another issue, Chong said he had written to the Kuching Land & Survey Department head, on behalf of registered co-proprietors of the Ocean Beach Resort to appeal against the department’s decision to reject their application for renewal of the lease on a piece of land on Lot 176 Gading-Lundu Land District.
The lease on the land is set to expire on Dec 31, 2024.
According to Chong the co-proprietors had been operating on the land for more than 10 years and contributed to the development of the tourism industry in Sarawak.
“This said land is only approximately 5.261 sq. metres and there is plenty of idle, undeveloped land nearby,” he said, adding, there was no reason for the government to refuse to renew the land lease.
He said he would raise the matter at the next state assembly sitting and lodge a complaint to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, should there be no proactive government on the part of the state government. — Bernama
