Response To Statement By Dr Kelvin Yii, Bandar Kuching Member Of Parliament

The Minister for Education, Science, and Technological Research, Dato’ Sri Michael Manyin of Education, Science & Technological Research (MESTR) would like to respond to the accusation by YB Member of Parliament for Kuching Dr.Kelvin Yii from Pakatan Harapan that he has been lying on the issue of getting consent from the Federal Ministry of Education for the State to implement projects to connect 113 schools to the State electricity grid so that these schools can have 24 hours electricity supply and 33 schools to the water main pipe so that the schools can have access to treated water supply. To safeguard the welfare and wellbeing of both students and teachers in these schools, the Sarawak Government has offered to implement these projects at a total cost RM59 million using its own fund, even though it is the responsibility of the federal government. As reported in the dayakdaily.com on 26 November 2018 and the Borneo Post on 27 November 2018, Dr Kelvin has accused me of lying by claiming that the federal Ministry has yet to respond to his letter.

I would like to clarify that during my press conference on 13 th November 2018 at the Dewan Undangan Negeri Building, I have categorically informed the Media that the Federal Ministry of Education has responded to my letter on 24 th of October 2018 seeking clarification on whether the State’s offer was a grant and that I have replied to this letter on 30th of October 2018 . This is clearly stated in the Borneo Post report of the press conference on 14 th November 2018.

As such, the allegation by YB Dr Kelvin Yii that I was lying about not receiving any reply from the Ministry of Education since June 2018, is baseless, malicious and done to seek cheap publicity. What I highlighted during the press conference was that MESTR has yet to receive consent from the Ministry of Education for the State to implement the projects which was true at that instant time.

I would like to add that MESTR has just received another letter from the Federal Minister of Education, Dr Maszlee Malik dated 29 th November 2018 in which he has explained that the State’s proposal can only be implementedafter issues related to existing contracts have been resolved. Meanwhile, our implementing agencies will meet with MOE officers to work out the details. 

YB for Kuching, Dr Kevin Yii and other Pakatan Harapan Leaders have further accused me of highlighting the issue of dilapidated schools and lack of amenities as if the problem is something that happened over the last six months and thus blaming Pakatan Harapan government for it.

Since the establishment of MESTR in May 2017, I went public on the conditions of our schools. Through numerous press conferences and public speeches, I have highlighted the plight of our young school children and appealed to the then Federal Government for larger allocations to solve the problem. In many of these statements and speeches, I made it very clear that the main factor contributing to these problems is the lack of funding allocation from the previous government. The physical needs of our schools have not received the due consideration and unless special allocations are made, the situation will only worsen. Anyone who has followed my speeches since June last year will know that the allegation by Dr Kelvin is not true. It is a blatant distortion of facts done with ill intent.

I am happy that as a result of the efforts of the Sarawak Government, the former federal government allocated a sum of RM 1 billion, RM 500 million to be spent in 2018 and another RM500 million in 2019 to address the problems of dilapidated schools in Sarawak. A total of 116 schools have been upgraded at a cost RM419 million in 2018. I hope that the Pakatan Harapan will honour this commitment and make available the RM500 million for 2019.

Pakatan Harapan Leaders has also accused me of sensationalizing the issue of dilapidated schools. Sarawak, with a land mass of about 124,500 square kilometres is not just made of urban centres such as Kuching, Sibu, Miri and the likes. The rural areas make up of more than 70%. Thus do not just look at the urban schools to understand the problem. Most Pakatan Harapan MPs from Sarawak who are mostly from urban constituencies need go to rural areas to see the school conditions for themselves. We cannot understand the problem o the ground if we remain as “armchair politicians”. The conditions of many schools in rural areas are really deplorable. Minister of Education, YB Dr. Maszlee Malik himself has acknowledged the severity of the problem. So there really is nothing to sensationalize about. I hope that all elected representatives including those from Pakatan Harapan will realise the real condition and support the effort of both MOE and MESTR to create more conducive environment for our students to study.

I agree that Education should not be politicised and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research, Sarawak welcomes the support from all parties to improve the education eco-system in Sarawak, I therefore, urge all members of parliament from Sarawak to also continue their efforts to facilitate in expediting matters that need urgent attention from the Federal Ministry of Education.