SARAWAK schools not connected to the electricity grid will have diesel supply for at least 10 months, state Education Minister Michael Manyin said today.

He told the state legislative assembly today of a letter from the Ministry of Finance dated June 20, which authorised the state education department to buy diesel up to RM20,000 per month for 10 months per school.

The move will impact 371 schools with a shortage of diesel.

Manyin said the director of the education department has issued guidelines on purchase procedures.

These include appointing one company for each school with priority to local companies. The suppliers must be registered with federal Ministry of Finance and comply with financial procedures and Treasury instructions.

“The state education department will ensure that no schools’ operation will be affected by the shortage of diesel. No school will be in the dark,” Manyin told the assembly.

Bintulu-based Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, the company previously appointed by the ousted Barisan Nasional government to supply fuel to all schools, is currently under investigation by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over suspected fraud.

Three company officials, its 59-year-old director, a 39-year-old company director and a 30-year-old lawyer were questioned by the anti-graft watchdogs last month.

It was reported that former prime minister Najib Razak in January 2017 personally pushed through the contract worth RM1.69 billion to supply the diesel and install a solar panels in the schools by bypassing the Education Ministry’s procurement process.

Payment was allegedly made although no work was done.

Whistle-blower Sarawak Report alleged Education Ministry staff who raised concerns about quality control were transferred from their posts and reports to the police and MACC were ignored right up until the recent elections. – July 17, 2018.