KUCHING, Sept. 28 -- Sarawak Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Sri Michael Manyin has dismissed a professor's assertion that using a state foundation's unit to set up five private international schools here contravened the Education Act 1996.

He said the state government has taken care to ensure that its initiatives and programmes were consistent with the country's laws.

"We have studied the relevant laws and have had extensive engagements with the Ministry of Education and have complied with the requirements of the ministry in every step of the process of setting up these schools," he told reporters.

He was responding to claims made by Professor Teo Kok Seong of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia who said that t...