Education Minister Maszlee Malik said he has taken a stern action over the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project in Sarawak purportedly granted to a car-rental company through direct award on the instruction of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Maszlee also said the ministry had initiated an investigation into the scandal last week. 

"I am aware of the media reports of the possible misappropriation in awarding contracts of solar energy supply to schools in Sarawak.

"I have started detailed investigations into this matter since last week and relevant authorities have been notified about this," Maszlee said to Malaysiakini.

He also mentioned that a decision was made on June 8 and will be announcing it officially tomorrow (June 11).

Najib allegedly instructed the Education Ministry in January last year to appoint a company for a solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

The company also deals in car rental and is owned by a deputy division chief linked to the Sarawak ruling party.

As part of the contract, the company was supposed to supply sufficient diesel and maintain the generators at the school.

Some of the schools reportedly did not receive a proper supply of diesel and maintenance of the generators that lead to disruptions of electricity supply.

The schools in Kanowit had to ration the operation of the generators up to twice a day due to poor maintenance by the company.

In March this year, the Education Ministry sent a letter to the company to demand an explanation on why no work has been done for the past year since the contract was awarded in 2017.

'Sarawakians robbing from our own people'

Meanwhile, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said the scandal is akin to a daylight robbery and depriving the Sarawakian children by Sarawakians themselves.

"The children in these reported schools could not fully enjoy the necessary facilities that have deprived them of quality education and limit their ability to fully utilise the facilities in school for their own good.

"Due to the selfishness and greed of these irresponsible parties, our children are made to suffer. With all the claims and sentiments that we have been ‘robbed by Malaya’, we do not have to look far, and in fact just look at our backyard, we see fellow Sarawakians robbing from our own people," he said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

Yii stressed that the authorities must investigate the responsible parties and hold them accountable for their actions.

"That is why anti-corruption measures and good governance is core to the future of Sarawak even as we pursue further autonomy and even revenues akin to our rights under Malaysian Agreement 1963."

He also said that it is important to have a clean government to make sure such revenues goes directly for the benefit of the people and not to the pockets of those people in power.