KOTA KINABALU: It is imperative to note that the financial assistance given by the state government to schools and non-Islamic religious bodies in Sabah does not single out a particular community or religion.
The annual financial assistance is enjoyed by all schools including mission schools and it benefits not only the Chinese community but also other communities.
“It is also distributed to all non-Islamic religious bodies in Sabah such as churches, and kuil, not only the Chinese temples, so it benefits all races,” Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Edward Khoo said.
Khoo who chairs the committee on financial assistance to schools and non-Islamic religious bodies in Sabah said this when asked to comment on talks by some quarters that the financial assistance would not satisfy the Chinese community.
Khoo when met after officiating a health screening program organized by the Persatuan Persaudaraan Pemuda Lee Sabah and the Health Ministry here yesterday pointed out that the assistance was not meant for a particular community only.
“My advice to all, is to please not politicize the issue of the assistance because it will be unfair to everyone. The state government allocates the financial assistance because it is its responsibility to ensure that the people’s needs are met and they will enjoy the benefit.
“The Barisan Nasional (BN) government in Sabah is trying to do its best to assist all communities, which is why we are giving out this financial assistance every year,” he said.
Khoo disclosed that the Sabah government is the first state in the country to include this annual assistance in its yearly budget.
According to Khoo, he had been tasked to chair the committee for seven years and added that the amount doled out had been increasing annually as RM25 million was distributed by the state government last year.
“So please keep politics out of this issue as the assistance is for all the rakyat in Sabah…; it is merely the government’’s responsibility to assist the people,” he reiterated.