M.Kula: RM20million allocation for Tamil Schools an eye wash!

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Here’s what DAP Ipoh Barat MP M.Kulasegaran gotta say:

MIC president Samy Vellu announced that the government has allocated over RM20 million to build and repair Tamil schools involving rebuilding of 13 Schools and the expansion of others.

We welcome this announcement. But why wasn’t this tabled in Parliament for approval and for proper debate and scrutiny? That it is announced now means it is a General Elections gimmick and sweetener to buy votes.

The announcement of this allocation should have been made by the Education Minister unless Tamil schools have now come under the umbrella of Samy’s ministry.

The case of Tepi Sungai Tamil school in Klang

The Tepi Sungai Tamil school of Klang which was termite infested finally collapsed in 2002. When the school building gave way Immediately Samy went to the school with Kapar MP and Parliamentary secretary M/s Komala and promised an out right grant of RM1.2 million provided the PIBG raise RM100, 000. RM 100,000 was raised by the PIPG in 2004 but until last week the Samy has not fulfilled his promise.

Last week after I visited the school Komala had prayers and construction work is supposed to begin. But the students are now temporarily housed in adjacent building of the Majlis Perbandaran Klang (MPK) “store”. Presently two classes are conducted in one class and there is even no partition separating one from the other. All the class rooms are very hot as they all do not have ceiling. I spoke to some parents and they tell me that their children want to move out to other better schools as the conditions here is unbearable.

We urge Samy to list out all the schools that have been selected for rebuilding and repair. We will at the next Parliamentary meeting raise this issue and also ask why no new Tamil schools are being built at all?

We doubt RM20 million will ever take off in view of the past cases. Thus it is incumbent on Samy to get the government to immediately issue tenders and get Indian contractors to do this job.

No building of new Tamil schools. Why?

In parliament the government has acknowledged that no new Tamil or Chinese schools would be built under the 9th Malaysia Plan. Although the student population has been increasing yearly in Tamil schools there seems to be no corresponding increase of new Tamil schools. The Government must relocate all schools which are now built or located near or on grave yards or those on containers or on temporary buildings or those which are in shop houses. The Tamil school education is an integral part of the national education system and today some 115,000 students study in 523 Tamil schools in the country. Presently 362 Tamil schools are still only partial aided by the Government. Why MIC has failed to make these schools fully aided?

The present allocation of RM20 million is just a cosmetic exercise. In view of the growing interest to study in Tamil, it’s incumbent on the government to build at least 30 new schools every year.

Source : DAP Ipoh Barat MP M.Kulasegaran