SIBU: The distribution of a government grant totalling RM10 million for all Chinese primary schools in Sibu Division would be finalised soon.
The three parties made up of Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, the authority concerned and United Association of Chinese Primary Aided School Boards of Management Sibu and Kapit Divisions had been discussing and negotiating the fund distribution for the last few weeks.
“We will come to the final formula shortly. The parties concerned should wait patiently for the ultimate solution,” Wong said in his address at the 20th anniversary celebration dinner of Sarawak United Association of Aided Primary School Management Board held here on Saturday.
For the time being, Wong, who is also Environment and Public Health Minister, revealed that the money was deposited in a bank and would not be withdrawn as the money was also earning interest.
He explained that the grant of RM10 million for Chinese primary schools in Sibu Division, which was promised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during his visit to Sibu prior to the campaigning period for the Sibu by-election, was handed over to the United Association of Chinese Primary Aided School Boards of Management of Sibu and Kapit Divisions on May 12.
The power of distributing the grant, entrusted to the association by the Prime Minister, had proven the faith he had with the association, he said.
“We are indeed grateful to the Prime Minister for the financial assistance. However, we also need to be given moral support, in order to keep up with our works in fighting for Chinese education,” he further stated.
The president of Sarawak United Association of Aided Primary School Management Board Sir Lee Kung Seng, who also spoke, urged the government to abolish the differentiation between fully aided primary schools and the partly aided primary schools in terms of allocation distributions.
“The government should treat the two types of schools equally and systematically provide annual allocations to Chinese primary schools.”
Another matter he pointed out was the problem of rural Chinese primary schools facing shortage of students due to the mass exodus of rural folks to urban areas in the 1970’s.
“To solve the problem, the only way is to merge the neighbouring Chinese primary schools or move them to the populated residential estates in urban areas,” Lee said.
Pelawan assemblyman Vincent Goh Chung Siong, Sibu MP Wong Ho Leng, who is also Bukit Assek assemblyman, and organising chairman Tie Teck Hiong were among those present.