KUCHING, May 8 — The state government is waiting for the Finance Ministry’s decision on the Education Ministry’s counter-proposal on the use of RM1 billion to fix dilapidated schools in Sarawak, a state minister said today.
State Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said the state government could only start fixing the dilapidated schools once the Finance Ministry gives its approval.
“Let’s pray that the Finance Ministry makes the decision before our Gawai Dayak celebration on June 1,” he told reporters after winding up matters raised during the debate on the opening of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.
Earlier in his winding-up speech, Manyin said Education Minister Maszlee Malik had submitted counterproposals to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg at a meeting on April 24 this year.
He said Maszlee had wanted the RM1 billion be placed into a special account and not into the Federal Consolidated Fund, and for a tripartite committee consisting of the Finance and Education ministries along with the Sarawak government to manage the funds and oversee projects.
Manyin said Maszlee also wanted an agreement between the federal and state governments to ensure that the RM1 billion was spent only on dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
“The education minister also proposed that the procurement process be managed by the State Federal Tender Board and that the state Public Works Department (JKR) be the implementing agency,” he said.
Manyin said the state government is agreeable to Maszlee’s counter-proposals.
He said the Education Ministry made counter-proposals following the rejection by Putrajaya of the state government’s offer to repay RM1 billion of its outstanding loan to the federal government as contra payment for the repair of dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
He claimed Maszlee agreed with the state government that the RM1 billion be paid as contra payment.
He said Maszlee also agreed that projects would be tendered out through the Federal Tender Board and that the state JKR be the implementing agency.
“We were invited to a meeting at the Ministry of Finance on March 11, 2019, during which we were informed that the federal Cabinet did not agree with our proposal for the repayment of RM1 billion as contra payment,” he said.
He said the federal Cabinet instead wanted the RM1 billion to be paid into the Federal Consolidated Fund as advance payment, and that the disbursement be made through the annual budget.
He said this was confirmed through a letter which he received from the Finance Ministry on March 20, 2019.
“However, the state did not agree with the conditions stated in that letter,” he said.
