Wong revealed that even within his constituency, the majority of the 14 primary schools are classified as dilapidated and are in need of upgrading. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 9): The Sarawak government should seek for more funding from the federal government while working towards achieving health and education autonomy, says Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
He stressed that the process of working towards autonomy would require time to materialise, and thus the state government should earnestly seek more funds from Putrajaya in the next few years to rebuild, upgrade and rehabilitate the dilapidated schools and student hostels, and the run-down and poorly equipped rural clinics in the state.
He highlighted that in his 2019 Budget Speech, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg stated that there were 1,020 dilapidated schools in the state, with 415 classified as seriously dilapidated, demanding urgent attention.
“It is disheartening to see our children have long been suffering from such poor quality conditions and are forced to study in such inferior environment,” he said when debating the motion of thanks of the Yang di-Pertuan Negeri’s opening address at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.
Wong revealed that even within his constituency, the majority of the 14 primary schools are classified as dilapidated and are in need of upgrading.
“The conditions of the student hostels and the three rural medical clinics leave much to be desired,” he said.
Regarding general medical and healthcare, he noted that Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, during the presentation of the Health White Paper on April 28 last year, highlighted the primary concern for Sarawakians as many reside far from health facilities.
Dr Sim had stressed on the difficulty faced by medical teams in reaching and treating patients like victims of vehicle accidents far from medical facilities in Kuching, who only could hope for the best.
“Deputy Premier Dr Sim might have somewhat exaggerated, but he did stress the inadequacy of the medical and health care in Sarawak.
“Greater efforts and more allocations are therefore urgently required from the federal government to improve our education and health facilities,” Wong said.