KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg says the state government has identified a suitable piece of land that could generate sustainable income for the management of 14 private Chinese secondary schools in Sarawak.
He expected the land to be finalised after the Chinese New Year.
“We have identified a piece of land for the purpose and the whole process will be finalised after the Chinese New Year,” Abang Johari told the media after visiting the open house of the chairman of the Committee Management of Kuching Chung Hua Middle Schools No. 1, 3 & 4, Dato Richard Wee, at the latter’s residence on the second day of Chinese New Year.
He stressed that the ‘promised’ land was initially approved by former Chief Minister Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud which was later pursued by his successor the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem.
“What is agreed in principle is that we are giving the land in substitute of the plantation land which was approved by our former Chief Minister, which is quite difficult for them to develop. So the late Adenan and I did the follow-up for a new piece of land. And then I have found one which will be processed after the Chinese New year,” he reiterated.
The land, according to the Chief Minister, will be given to the charitable trust which manages these schools.
Meanwhile, Wee expressed confidence that they would be able to get the land after the Chinese New Year.
“We are having a choice whether to have a plantation land or commercial land. But now there is a general preference for a piece of land for plantation purposes rather than commercial because it would not be easy for us to develop a commercial area,” he said.
However, he stressed that he has to call for a meeting of members of the board of trustees, after which they would seek an appointment with the Chief Minister to inform him of their preference before making a formal request to the state government for the land.
“But we are keeping our options open. Basically, what we are saying is that plantation will give us that value for that certain amount for the upkeep and maintenance of these schools,” he said.
Prior to this, Wee had told The Borneo Post that once the land could provide sustainable income for these schools, the management would not seek the annual grant of RM6 million to RM7 million from the state government.
Currently, these schools need at least RM12 million a year for their upkeep and maintenance including staff salaries, and the shortfall of RM5 million has to be sourced by the management of these schools.
Wee reckoned that there are currently at least 900 teachers working in these 14 schools – five located in Kuching, five in Sibu, two in Miri and one each in Sarikei and Bintulu.