KUCHING, Oct 19: Chong Chieng Jen’s comment on the issue of “PH giving preferential treatment to Sarawak in RM1 billion advance repayment for dilapidated schools” has sparked a fierce backlash from PBB youth leaders.
They have labelled his statements as “fact-twisting” and “whitewashing” to absolve former finance minister Lim Guan Eng and the then PH federal government of their shortcomings in assisting the children of Sarawak.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman slammed that it was not “preferential treatment” but “preferentially harsh treatment” for Sarawak when education matters including the repair of dilapidated schools or any schools should be the responsibility of the Federal government under the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
“Therefore, the Sarawak government then is justified in demanding the Federal government repair the schools in the State.
“(But) With the Federal government (indicating) not having sufficient funds to cover the school repairs, the Sarawak government set aside their differences with the then PH (Pakatan Harapan) controlled Federal government and offered to advance RM1 billion in loan repayment for the school repairs to materialise swiftly,” he reminded Chong, who is Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman, of the facts in a statement today.
Fazzrudin, who is also the political secretary to the Premier of Sarawak, added that the PH Federal government could have provided the funds by themselves to repair the dilapidated schools had they chosen to for the sake of the children, but they did not.
“They ‘preferred’ to put us on a neverending charade where the children in Sarawak are held to ransom over what can only be described as petty politicking.
“This showed that the PH government was not serious in assisting the students in Sarawak who were in dire need of improved education facilities,” he said.
With that, the Tupong assemblyman described Chong’s latest outburst as “ill-conceived” and was not sensitive to the needs of the people of Sarawak whereby the issue of the repair of dilapidated schools is being treated as a political ploy by the DAP and the Pakatan Harapan.
Joining the backlash to counter Chong, PBB deputy youth chief Lukanisman Awang Sauni pointed out that the Sarawak government decided to advance the RM1 billion of its own fund to the federal government to expedite the repair of dilapidated schools in the State, as “we were led to believe that Putrajaya was finance stricken”.
“However, due to the delays in terms of allocation to repair the schools where the then PH government failed to keep their word despite the payment of two tranches in the loan contra deal (RM700 million out of RM1 billion), the issue was then raised by the Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg,” he said.
Lukanisman, who is Sibuti incumbent, thus urged Chong not to mislead the people of Sarawak on the issue as Sarawakians still have vivid memories of exactly what happened with the deal.
“The ultimate victims of the bullying by the then PH government and Guan Eng were the rural children who had to suffer, being told that their schools could not be repaired, ultimately putting their safety and future at stake,” he hit back. — DayakDaily
