By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 15: The Sarawak government must sustain its Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) as a long-term investment to break the poverty cycle and expand opportunities for future generations, according to Dato Peter Minos.
In a statement, the political analyst reflected on how education served as a critical lifeline for Sarawakians who grew up in poverty during the 1950s and 1960s, enabling them to build successful careers in government service and business.
“Many of us now in government service or in business went through abject poverty in the 1950s and 1960s, and because of education, we have risen up,” he said, noting that this upward mobility has been particularly vital for the social and economic advancement of the Bumiputera community.
Building on that historical impact, Minos described FTES as a transformative step toward a progressive and prosperous Sarawak, even though securing the necessary funding remains a major hurdle.
“It is very tough for the government to get the funds for FTES, but they are fully committed to it, and the funding will somehow come along.
“Under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), I believe our massive investment in higher education can and will be sustained for a long, long time,” he added.
Looking ahead, he predicted that this sustained commitment to higher education will equip Sarawak with the local talent needed to become one of Malaysia’s leading states by 2040.
“I predict that by 2040, Sarawak will have all the skills and expertise to be one of the very top states in Malaysia, and maybe the world,” he asserted.
To realise that vision, Minos emphasized that the state will need a steady pipeline of engineers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals to drive its ongoing social and economic development. — DayakDaily
