KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has expressed his disappointment in Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg’s comments that dilapidated schools in the state are yet to be repaired, saying the project already started on August 5.
He said Abang Johari’s allegation that the ministry demanded a committee be set up to repair the schools is both untrue and regrettable.
“Four special committees on the federal government level for the implementation and monitoring of the project has been ongoing since March 19 this year,” Lim said in a statement.
He said the chief minister’s remarks also negate the efforts of the federal government in implementing and expediting the projects to repair Sarawak’s dilapidated schools, by taking into account the state government’s requests and needs.
“Although the state government’s debt repayment of nearly RM350 million was only received on August 8, the ministry issued a letter on August 5 and authorised the Education Ministry to begin early works.
“Furthermore on August 14, the ministry once again issued a letter to the Education Ministry, informing them the payments by the state government has been made, and for them to take appropriate action in expediting the first phase of the project,” Lim said.
Additionally, the federal government made an exception in approving the state government’s application for the repair project to be monitored by the Sarawak Works Department, as well as preference for local contractors operating in the state.
“Pursuant to this, the Education Ministry issued a letter of authorisation for the project’s implementation to the Works Ministry director-general, allowing for the Sarawak Works Department to begin initial repairs immediately.
“The department also identified seven dilapidated schools which can be called for tender by today while the remaining 30 schools are expected to be tendered by the end of this October,” he said.
Lim reiterated the ministry’s commitment in expediting the RM350 million procurement and expenditure process for the first phase of the project, once the state government has repaid its debts.
“The Finance Ministry wants to clarify that the state government’s suggestion of using the loan repayment funds to repair the schools, is actually the federal government’s deposit, since it involves the use of funds loaned to the state government before this.
“If characterised as a loan repayment to the federal government, this would mean the RM1 billion or RM350 million funds actually belongs to the federal government itself, used for repairing the schools,” he said.
Lim said the state government ought to have obtained correct information before issuing any statements nor make any unsubstantiated accusations so as not to confuse the rakyat.
Yesterday, during a town hall session in Lundu, Abang Johari asked Putrajaya to immediately start fixing dilapidated schools in Sarawak in the interest of students and teachers.
In so doing, he claimed the state government has yet to receive any indication from the federal government as to when repairs would start, despite the state government repaying Putrajaya the first package of RM350 million out of RM1 billion meant to be used exclusively to fix dilapidated schools in the state.
