Chong Chieng Jen
KUCHING (July 25): Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen says he will be bringing up the issue concerning the slow disbursement of funds to repair dilapidated schools in Sarawak at the next Parliament Select Committee (PSC) meeting.
The Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman, who is a PSC member on Education, said he will make a request for the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Works and Ministry of Education to provide a detailed update on the matter.
Chong said this in a statement today after Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, during an event in Gedong on Sunday, called out the Ministry of Education for taking things lightly when it comes to disbursement of funds to repair dilapidated schools in the state.
The Premier said he was unhappy with Putrajaya for not walking the talk, especially when there are many rural schools in Sarawak which were either in need of immediate repair or to be rebuilt.
He also said that the dire situation of some schools had left him no choice but to use state funds to repair and even rebuild these schools.
In this regard, Chong questioned why Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) federal ministers and deputy ministers had never raised the matter during the weekly Cabinet meetings.
“The Cabinet meets weekly and the GPS ministers could have raised the matter… furthermore, Abang Jo has direct access to the Prime Minister who is also the Finance Minister,” he said.
Chong also wondered whether the Premier had brought up the issue to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the latter’s visit to Kuching last month.
“If he did, what was Anwar’s response on the matter? If he did not (raise the matter), why not?
“Since the issue about the repair and upgrading of dilapidated schools had existed for many years, such slowness in the disbursement of funds, if true, would have been there for many years already.”
Chong said all repair and upgrading works for schools are implemented by the Public Works Department (JKR) even though the projects may be under the Ministry of Education.
“JKR is under the Ministry of Works which is helmed by a GPS minister. It is therefore imperative that the Ministry of Works provide the Sarawak Legislative Assembly and the Sarawak public an update on the matter,” he remarked.