Jonathan Chai, chairman of the Federation of Boards of Management for SJK Chung Hua of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions, said it was a very disappointing budget for Chinese education.

“The Chinese primary schools will no longer enjoy the specific allocation of RM50 million which we used to have (in the past years),” he said. There was also no allocation for Chinese independent high schools.

The previous Pakatan Harapan government had allocated RM12 million and RM15 million in the 2019 and 2020 budgets for Chinese independent high schools.

Sarawak PKR chairman Larry Sng said the federal government should have provided at least RM50 million to connect the rural schools in Sarawak to the power grid. He said there were over 100 schools depending on diesel generator sets as a source of power.

However, a state minister said that with the country facing the Covid-19 pandemic, this budget was not the occasion for Sarawak to demand more allocations or to express unhappiness that more money was going to other states.

Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the pandemic has caused economic slowdown while the battle against the spread of Covid-19 has not ended.

“Thus, Sarawak is happy with whatever (allocation) that has been given to the state and the issue of ‘Sarawak being treated as a stepchild’ shouldn’t arise,” he said.

He said all the MPs should set aside political differences and support the budget as the country and all Malaysians were facing uncertainties due to Covid-19.