KUCHING: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) has requested for a bigger annual allocation of RM60 million for Chinese and Mission schools in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister and SUPP president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan said yesterday a fixed sum of RM50 million could come from the federal government and the remaining RM10 million from the state government.
He made the request during the opening of the SUPP Convention which was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was also present.
According to him, records show that in the last five years, Sarawak received RM74.34 million for 551 schools which is less than RM27,000 per school per year.
With bigger allocations or the re-introduction of the 1:1 policy, he said it would help the aided schools to rebuild, especially those built after World War II.
“Schools built by the community or missions had contributed enormously to the development of human resources in Sarawak. Even the prime minister, chief minister, Datuk Patinggi Alfred Jabu (another deputy chief minister) and numerous state cabinet ministers, including myself were all ‘brought up’ in the mission schools,” he said.
Dr Chan’s request came in the light of the recent reports that mission schools have to undergo phasing out.
It was reported that these schools are SK St Faith at Kenyalang Park and SRB St Theresa Padungan, both here.
On another matter, Dr Chan also suggested a special allocation of RM30 million for small and medium industries in the state.
He said in a lot of cases, the grants and loans were exhausted even before Sarawakians heard about it.
“Records show Sarawak received a very small percentage of SME grants and loans.
“With SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy) coming on board soon, this is a good opportunity for our SMEs to catch up,” he added.
He also suggested that the state government allocated 1,000 hectares of state land in each division to genuine smallholders to plant major crops.
He said it was now timely for the state government to extend the same opportunity given to the big investors to the smallholders to do farming.
On politics, he assured Najib that SUPP would remain a moderate party and it would never be extreme under any circumstances.
“Although we are a Chinese-based party, we have 30 per cent non-Chinese members and our representation in the government is also multi-racial.
“SUPP finds it a great moderating influence to have other races among our midst when discussing the needs of our people. It constantly reminds us to think of everybody and every race when making any decision,” he added.
As for the politicians he dubbed as extreme, he said those people were bankrupt of ideas to sell themselves so they sell hatred and emotion to make themselves popular.
“These people are playing with fire. SUPP condemns them,” he added.