PH takes SUPP leader to task over allocation for Unimas
Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen says Universiti Malaysia Sarawak is getting what it asked for in development expenditure for next year.
KUCHING: Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen has taken a SUPP leader to task for accusing the federal government of reducing its allocation for Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) in the 2020 Budget.
Chong said there is no discrimination in allocations for universities in the country.
On Monday, SUPP Dudong branch chief Wong Ching Yong had urged the PH government to explain the drastic reduction in funds for Unimas.
Wong said Unimas would only receive a development allocation of RM17.4 million for next year.
He said this was a reduction of 58% from the RM42.2 million the university received this year.
At a press conference today, Chong said the allocation for Unimas was based on its submission for development expenditure.
He said there was no basis for the finance ministry to allocate funds for the university if they did not ask for it.
“It’s either he was not aware of the budget document or he purposely twists the facts,” Chong said, pointing to the different amount of development expenditure allocated for other universities.
For example, he said, there was an increase in development expenditure for Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), but for Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI), there was a reduction from RM58.7 million this year to RM17.7 million next year.
“So, it’s clear there is no discrimination in terms of allocation for Unimas’ development expenditure,” he said.
Chong pointed out that the operating expenditure allocated for Unimas had increased from RM211.5 million this year to RM216.2 million next year.
“I’m surprised he brought up the amount for development expenditure but omitted the allocation for operating expenditure.
“I’m not sure if this was done intentionally to give the impression that there had been a substantial cut in the allocation for Unimas,” he said.
On a separate note, Chong said the money from the 50% tax collected in Sarawak and 20% oil royalties promised during the last general election was meant to be channelled to the state for the development of education and healthcare.
However, he said the proposal was rejected by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government.
“They want the money to be used for whatever purposes they wish and not just for health care and education.
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“This is not acceptable, especially given the Sarawak government’s track record of spending as much as they desired,” he said.