Joint committee to oversee implementation of schools' repair works in Sarawak next year: Fadillah

KUCHING: The Works Ministry will propose the setting up of a joint committee between the Sarawak and federal governments to work on the selection of schools for the implementation of the second phase of repair works of dilapidated schools in the state next year.
Its minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said this was in line with the intention of Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg that input from the state government be taken into account in the selection and giving priority to school-related projects.
Fadillah said he would bring the matter to the federal level to be discussed by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education, and when agreed, the committee would be mandated in various aspects of the project such as prioritising, selecting construction methods, monitoring projects and so forth.
"We have the list (of dilapidated schools), prepared by both federal and state levels, but which schools to be prioritised have yet to be finalised, as the federal government wants to hear what the state needs," he said.
He said this in a press conference after handing over letters of award to 13 contractors appointed to carry out the first phase of the rebuilding and upgrading of schools by using the Industrialised Building System (IBS) method in Sarawak and officiating the ground breaking ceremony of the Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Pinang, Bau, about 25km from here today.
Under the first phase of the project, he said the Public Works Department (PWD) mandated its state department to select and appoint 13 contractors for repair works and rebuilding of 51 schools, involving 294 classrooms, 12 hostels, seven science rooms, 28 toilet units and six dining halls, costing more than RM130 million.
Fadillah said he would be monitoring their performances, and if they managed to implement the project according to the specifications, time frame and cost, their chances of getting the next project under the second phase next year would be bigger.
Under the first phase, another 66 upgrading works for schools had been submitted for implementation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, that also needed to be completed this year, he said.
He also added that the federal government has given the commitment to allocate RM500 million for the second phase of upgrading, repairing and rebuilding of schools in Sarawak next year. — Bernama