By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, May 26: Land status should not be an issue or an obstacle for relevant parties to carry out the work of upgrading dilapidated schools, said Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
In pointing this out, Awang Tengah, who is also Second Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister, said out of 359 poor school projects approved by the State Planning Council, the land ownership issues involving 121 schools have been resolved as it has been allocated to the Federal Land Commissioner (PTP).
“Meanwhile, for 238 dilapidated school projects that have not completed the land ownership status to PTP, special approval conditions have been given to allow construction work to be carried out earlier (early commencement),” he said in his winding up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.
Awang Tengah said this in relation to the construction work to upgrade and rebuild dilapidated school buildings which could not be implemented, allegedly due to the status of the land involved, raised by Baleh assemblyman Nicholas Kudi Jantai Masing, Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang, Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa, Ngemah assemblyman Anyi Jana, Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira, and Balingian assemblyman Abdul Yakub Arbi recently.
He added that early commencement works must also meet planning standards including the requirements of local authorities and the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba). — DayakDaily
