Bernama news in brief -- March 3

SABAH: 169 SCHOOLS REPAIRED UNDER ROLLING PLAN

KUALA LUMPUR -- A total of 169 schools in Sabah with dilapidated buildings have been upgraded as of Feb 28 this year, said Deputy Education Minister Senator Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon.

Speaking in the Special Chamber session of the Dewan Rakyat today, he said the priority of the Ministry of Education (MOE) was to repair or construct replacement buildings for schools with aged buildings on a scale of six and seven.

He said until February 2022, there were 419 schools with worn-out buildings in Sabah with 384 of them being in the poor condition category on scale-level six and another 35 on scale-level seven.

“Under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Rolling Plan 1 (RP1) for 2021 and RP2 for 2022, a total of 44 projects in schools needing repair or replacement of poor condition buildings were approved for Sabah.

Currently, the building status of this project is still in the pre-construction phase,” he said in reply to a question from Chan Foong Hin (PH-Kota Kinabalu) on the list of schools in disrepair identified through the Sabah State Education Development Committee and on when the allocation would be approved for the improvement process to be implemented.

-- BERNAMA 

MP PROPOSES A NATIONAL MARINE POLICY

KUALA LUMPUR -- An opposition MP proposed that an ocean-related policy focusing on conserving marine biodiversity, management of marine resources, the oceanic environment and safeguarding of the country's sovereignty via sea borders be introduced.

During the debate in Dewan Rakyat today, Wong Hon Wai (PH-Bukit Bendera) said (on March 1) that thus far, no policy on marine management has been instituted despite the country's wealth of oceanic resources and said it should be introduced in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Malaysia is a country rich in seafood. We have a forestry policy (Malaysian Forestry Policy) but no marine-related policy. Therefore, I ask the government to produce a national draft, namely the National Marine Policy,” he said.

-- BERNAMA

MAFI DISTRIBUTES 19,000 FISH FRY TO FLOOD-HIT FARMERS IN PAHANG

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) distributed 91,250 fish fry worth RM146,140 for free to 149 patin breeders in Pahang who were affected by the massive floods that hit the state last year, from Jan 1 to date.

The ministry said for 2021, a total of 1,904,330 fish fry worth RM439,723 were given free of charge to 472 farmers in the state.

“The ministry has recommended a sum of RM5.02 million through the Agro-Food Project Redevelopment Allocation (PPSPA) to assist all aquaculture farmers and inland fishermen affected.

"Several efforts to reduce the impact of natural disasters such as floods on aquaculture farmers have also been implemented, including advising breeders to reduce fry release or livestock activities before the flood season and to harvest livestock that reaches market size before floods hit," stated the ministry in a written reply at Dewan Rakyat here today.

It was in reply to a question by Datuk Mohd Anuar Mohd Tahir (PH-Temerloh) on the assistance given to patin farm operators who were badly hit by the floods which swept away logs and damaged cages.

-- BERNAMA