FINANCE Minister Lim Guan Eng has announced a RM78 million allocation to fix the dilapidated schools in Sabah. 

He said the allocation was meant for next year but was granted now following a request from Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal.

“The allocation comes following the insistence of the chief minister and the prime minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) has told me to look seriously into the matter.

“For this, we were able to allocate RM78 million for the purpose of fixing dilapidated schools in Sabah,” he said at 2020 Budget Talk with the Finance Minister in Kota Kinabalu today.

Lim is in the state for a working visit with Dr Mahathir in conjunction with Malaysia Day celebrations. 

Earlier, the minister launched the Malaysia Development Bank’s Maritime Fund. 

Sabah Education and Innovation Minister Dr Yusof Yackob in June this year said Sabah needs RM3 billion to repair rundown schools in the state.  

Slightly under half of the  1,296, or 587, schools in Sabah are dilapidated and 90 of them have been declared unsafe by the Public Works Department.

Lim said the letter of approval has been issued as the funds could be used for the repairs of between 30 and 35 schools sidelined for over 15 years.  

Meanwhile, Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal that the money will go a long way for the students in Sabah as he expressed his thanks to the Finance Ministry. – September 17, 2019.