PAKATAN Harapan’s offer of 20% oil royalties, 50% return of tax collection and autonomy in education and health services is no longer valid, Sarawak Pakatan Harapan chairman Chong Chieng Jen said today.

Barisan Nasional spurned the offer made on April 9 and therefore the offer has lapsed, he said.

PH had offered BN the New Deal Agreement for greater autonomy and devolution of power to Sarawak in the event PH took over the federal government but state BN leaders rejected the offer.

The New Deal Agreement was signed by the three state PH leaders, Chong for DAP, Baru Bian for PKR and Fidzuan Zaidi for Amanah.

Chong was fuming today after the state Education Ministry blocked his proposal to give schools the option of whether to take the state public holidays tomorrow and on Friday.

In a visit to the state Education office in Petrajaya yesterday, Chong had suggested the department give the schools a choice as some students and their parents and teachers had complained the public holidays declared by the new PH government disrupted the mid-term examinations.

When the state Education Ministry heard of Chong’s proposal, it issued a directive to the department that all schools must take the holidays.

Chong said the ministry was politicising the issue.

“It does not have the interests of the students and the schools at heart.

He said the state government was “bringing politics into education”.

“The state government is taking revenge on students and teachers.

“This episode shows (Chief Minister) Abang Johari and the state government do not have the ability to handle education professionally.” – May 16, 2018.