Priority in education development to Sabah, Sarawak, Dewan Rakyat told
Bernama (14/5/08): The government always gives priority to development in Sabah and Sarawak including in education, and the two states receive greater focus and allocation than the other states, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said Wednesday.
He said that, for example, under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), the government had allocated RM3.4 billion to Sabah and RM3.1 billion to Sarawak for education.
"The ministry is aware of the gap in the level of education between the urban and interior areas in Sabah and Sarawak, and allocations have been made to upgrade the infrastructure and amenities in schools there," he said when winding up debate for his ministry on the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.
Hishammuddin said allocations had been made to implement 3,604 education development projects in Sabah and 2,187 projects in Sarawak.
"Statements that Sabah and Sarawak have been marginalised are inaccurate; in fact, they are given priority and higher allocations," he said.
Referring to a question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang), he said the ministry would ensure that all projects were completed in the alloted time as far as ensuring that there were no more schools in poor condition in the Sabah and Sarawak interior.
"It is not possible to resolve all problems in a matter of two or three years. Sabah is 73,710 sq km in size while Sarawak is 125,000 sq km in area and they have 1,271 and 1,439 schools, respectively. Sabah has 497 underpopulated schools while Sarawak has 788," he said.
On the relocation of underpopulated Chinese and Tamil schools, Hishammuddin said the ministry had resolved the matter and denied that its actions were politically motivated.
The Dewan Rakyat will sit again Thursday.
He said that, for example, under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), the government had allocated RM3.4 billion to Sabah and RM3.1 billion to Sarawak for education.
"The ministry is aware of the gap in the level of education between the urban and interior areas in Sabah and Sarawak, and allocations have been made to upgrade the infrastructure and amenities in schools there," he said when winding up debate for his ministry on the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.
Hishammuddin said allocations had been made to implement 3,604 education development projects in Sabah and 2,187 projects in Sarawak.
"Statements that Sabah and Sarawak have been marginalised are inaccurate; in fact, they are given priority and higher allocations," he said.
Referring to a question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang), he said the ministry would ensure that all projects were completed in the alloted time as far as ensuring that there were no more schools in poor condition in the Sabah and Sarawak interior.
"It is not possible to resolve all problems in a matter of two or three years. Sabah is 73,710 sq km in size while Sarawak is 125,000 sq km in area and they have 1,271 and 1,439 schools, respectively. Sabah has 497 underpopulated schools while Sarawak has 788," he said.
On the relocation of underpopulated Chinese and Tamil schools, Hishammuddin said the ministry had resolved the matter and denied that its actions were politically motivated.
The Dewan Rakyat will sit again Thursday.
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