Putrajaya should focus on resolving dilapidated school issue in Sarawak under 12MP – Dr Annuar

Dr Annuar Rapaee

SIBU (Sept 28): The federal government should focus on resolving the issue of dilapidated schools in Sarawak under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), said Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee.

“There are 1,020 dilapidated schools in the state. Offhand, I think we have almost half of the number done (repaired) using the RM1 billion funds from the state and federal governments. But I still believe the pace can be improved if the issue is given focus in 12MP.

“We still have a lot (of dilapidated schools to repair) though we have progressed but we will not be able to achieve at this pace if we do not emphasise this in 12MP,” he told reporters via Zoom meeting in response to the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) tabled by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday.

On the eradication of hardcore poverty, Dr Annuar who is also Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing suggested for the government to adopt the multidimensional poverty index (MDPI) methodology which has more holistic approaches.

“If we want to look at poverty, we have to look at it multidimensionally. That is why the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) poverty eradication methodology is based on MDPI.

“The MDPI sees poverty does not look at income alone. There are 10 indicators to look into among them is child mortality and nutrition under the key dimension of health.

“So poverty is not measured purely on income based on MDPI. This is a very comprehensive index to look at poverty and I think we must shift to MDPI rather than putting the poverty line purely on income level,” he said.

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