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NOT ENOUGH… 9MP allocations of RM3.4 billion not enough for Sabah, said Masidi
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12th May, 2008
KOTA MARUDU: An immediate RM15mil allocation has been given by the Education Ministry to resolve the perennial problem of lack of tables and chairs at school in Sabah,
In a quick response, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein approved the allocation for school furniture after Sabah leaders raised the issue at last week’s State Assembly meeting here.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said that he was informed on Saturday by the Education Minister’s office to announce the allocation that was badly needed by Sabah schools to overcome the long-standing problem.
Masidi, who is state minister overseeing education, said that the state was grateful for the immediate response as the problem was long standing needed to be addressed immediately to ease problems for students mainly in rural areas.
He told New Sabah Times the good news after launching the Pesta Moginakan 2008 Ceremony at Kampung Tanjung Batu Darat here yesterday.
The problem was highlighted at the assembly last week by Tanjung Batu assemblywoman Datuk Hamisah Samad who showed pictures of students and teachers squatting on the floor at SK Kalabakan for the their classes.
Masidi, during winding up of the debates, also criticised the Education Ministry for their apparent lack of urgency to resolve this problem as many Sabah schools had similar problems.
He told the assembly that he was embarrassed and helpless by the attitude of the ministry officials.
Masidi said that he hoped that the Sabah Education Department would take immediate steps to provide the school with the furniture with the allocation provided by the ministry.
Masidi noted that Sabah needed a bigger financial allocation by the sheer fact that in term of geographical size it makes up nearly a quarter of the whole country.
“If we take the size of the state as a basis for the budget calculation, we will find that actually the RM3.4 billion budget under the Nine Malaysia Plan is not sufficient.
“But we also have to take into consideration that not only Sabah needs focus, but also the other states. We understand that it is not easy to get the government’s money,” added him.
Masidi in his speech told the gathering that he would continue to speak the truth, even if it meant having to criticise the federal government.
Getting a big applause from the crowd, he said that as part of Malaysia, Sabah too deserves development and other goodies that the other states are also getting.
On the much talked about defections of several Barisan National MPs from Sabah and Sarawak joining the Pakatan Rakyat, Masidi believed there it will not happen.
Among those present were Assistant Minister to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Youth, Bolkiah Ismail, Tandek State Assemblywoman Anita Baranting and District Officer Luvita Koisun.
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