Don sees economic spin-off from repair of dilapidated schools

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Professor Dr Fatimah Kari

KUCHING: The unconventional arrangement of utilising the repayment of RM1 billion debt by the Sarawak government to Federal government to fund the repairs of dilapidated school in Sarawak can generate an estimated RM3.3 billion spin off effect over the period of one to two years through the implementation of the projects.

“This is a way forward for Putrajaya and Sarawak government to address issues related to the dilapidated schools in Sarawak,” University Malaya Professor Dr Fatimah Kari told Borneo Post online yesterday.

Dr Fatimah was commenting on the Federal Cabinet’s approval of the funding of dilapidated schools repair through the repayment of a RM1 billion debt to the Federal Government from the Sarawak Government.

Dr Fatimah who hails from Sarikei expressed her sincere thanks to Federal Government for approving the funding arrangement.

Dr Fatimah said the state and federal government should put aside unnecessary ‘politicking’ over the issue of dilapidated schools as the problem has to be solved urgently.

“Education for our children has to be above politics and non-partisan in nature,” she stressed.

She added that, the injection of RM1 billion into Sarawak economy is very timely and would have a positive impact on the local economic activities.

“In terms of macroeconomics effects, my initial calculation indicate a further RM3.3 billion spin off effect over the medium terms effect – given one to two years macroeconomics lag  effect – assuming inflation rate stabilise at 1.3-17 per cent per annum,” she explained.

The additional fund will complement Sarawak’s 2019 budget that will be augmented by new funds through the introduction of petroleum sales taxes.

“Such favourable impact is due to the fact that the spending is categorised as development expenditure and this augur well with the already expansionary budget of about RM9.07 billion as announced in 2019 state budget.

“If the state continues to stimulate development expenditure over operating expenditure, such an exemplary fiscal move is expected to sustain the 4 -5 per cent growth forecasts that the state intend to achieve for 2019,” she further explained.

Fatimah said the development spending to rebuild dilapidated schools will spur our local economy given the volatile nature of the current global economy.

“This is expected to stimulate sectors such as building materials, finance and services with job and employment creation among the locals,” she explained.

However, she cautioned that there must be fiscal discipline as well.

“Priority must be for rural schools in dire need of better and well equip facilities,” she stressed.

Since the state has proposed digital economy, Dr Fatimah said the funding must also lay out physical development for a more digitalised classroom.

“Take note, school infrastructure must no longer be  planned based on 20th Century needs but be based on 21th Century/future need that will allow our children to learn in well equipped  and state-of-art facilities,” she advised.

Dr Fatimah also suggested that the development spending must put back the need to make education among our children a pathway for social mobility.

“Thus, this spending must also be seen to address poverty and inequality in the long run. Therefore, planning and execution of the projects must be monitored and evaluated to minimise delays and run-over costing problem,” she said.

Dr Fatimah proposed that NGOs and other social bodies that are not politically aligned must be given the chance to be part of the monitoring mechanism.

She also suggested that the Sarawak government should propose a matching grant raised from local corporate bodies to rebuild the dilapidated schools.

“Such proposal is very much in line with our civil society movement that pushes for good moral responsibilities among rakyat,” she said.