Gerakan backs conservation of original school
Ng Boon HooiPublished: Mar 2, 2001 3:03 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
A component party of the ruling front Barisan Nasional has voiced its support to conserving the old site of SJK (C) Damansara in Selangor.
Gerakan paid its first official visit to the school this afternoon since it became embroiled in controversy in January.
Party representatives Lum Weng Keong, Dr Lim Thuang Seng and Chua Chong An visited the adjacent temple where classes were being conducted for the 74 students who have refused to move to another temporary school while awaiting the completion of a new building in Tropicana.
Lum, who is Selangor executive committee member, said that the Gerakan central committee in a Feb 17 meeting agreed that the original building should be maintained to supplement the new one.
"The school can be maintained on a smaller scale, catering to between 500 and 600 students," said Lum who is also the state assembly representative for Bukit Lanjan.
He said that since the surrounding areas are facing a shortage of Chinese schools, and the condition of the 70-year-old building is good, there is an obvious need to maintain the school.
According to his peer for Bukit Gasing, Lim, the current dispute over the school shows that there is a need for more Chinese schools.
"The move to relocate showed that the government has looked into the problem and has come up with a bigger school as a solution," he said.
"However, the local residents need the old school. Closing it down will deprive these people of their right."
Lim stressed that the environment has not really affected the students, adding that many schools (in Malaysia) are close to the main road as well.
"But should the problem (of noise pollution) exist, it can be resolved by building noise barriers," he said.
Not in conflict
Chua, the Federal Territory branch chairman, clarified that the party's stand on the issue is not in conflict with that of BN, the coalition to which it belongs.
"BN has not make any stand on this issue, at least not to our knowledge; any party member can make its stand," replied Chua when asked on the possibility of a clash of opinions.
Added Lim: "We are confident that the numbers of students in surrounding area will increase, hence we look at it from a neutral rather than emotional point of view.
"We appeal to the federal government to study the case carefully and come to a satisfactory solution."
As to whether Gerakan will be the mediator for the Education Ministry and the Action Committee To Save the Damansara School, Chua said that all parties will do things their own way.
Lum added that the party will leave the final decision on the fate of the old school to the federal government.
Community schools
Early this year, students from the school were directed by the Education Ministry to temporarily transfer to SJK (C) Puay Chai (II)- a few kilometres away - while the new building in Tropicana is being built. Sixty-seven students, however, were adamant on staying put at the old school.
Today, that figure has risen to 74, despite Education Minister Musa Mohamed's warning that the students will be expelled if they did not transfer to Puay Chai II by today.
The action committee to defend the old school stated that the education of the students in the neighbourhood temple will not be compromised, even though the classrooms are not as ideal as the original ones in the adjacent school building that was sealed off by the ministry.
"With the help of (Chinese educationist body) Dong Jiao Zong, the committee will arrange containers to be the temporary classrooms and hire full-time teachers," declared a statement from the committee.
The committee is appealing to all communities nationwide to request for and develop their own community schools so that children can walk to school without having to wake up early to catch the bus.
"With community schools, the children will have more sleeping time, the roads will be less congested, and the air and noise pollution will decrease," said the committee.
Previous report:
Gerakan paid its first official visit to the school this afternoon since it became embroiled in controversy in January.
Party representatives Lum Weng Keong, Dr Lim Thuang Seng and Chua Chong An visited the adjacent temple where classes were being conducted for the 74 students who have refused to move to another temporary school while awaiting the completion of a new building in Tropicana.
Lum, who is Selangor executive committee member, said that the Gerakan central committee in a Feb 17 meeting agreed that the original building should be maintained to supplement the new one.
"The school can be maintained on a smaller scale, catering to between 500 and 600 students," said Lum who is also the state assembly representative for Bukit Lanjan.
He said that since the surrounding areas are facing a shortage of Chinese schools, and the condition of the 70-year-old building is good, there is an obvious need to maintain the school.
According to his peer for Bukit Gasing, Lim, the current dispute over the school shows that there is a need for more Chinese schools.
"The move to relocate showed that the government has looked into the problem and has come up with a bigger school as a solution," he said.
"However, the local residents need the old school. Closing it down will deprive these people of their right."
Lim stressed that the environment has not really affected the students, adding that many schools (in Malaysia) are close to the main road as well.
"But should the problem (of noise pollution) exist, it can be resolved by building noise barriers," he said.
Not in conflict
Chua, the Federal Territory branch chairman, clarified that the party's stand on the issue is not in conflict with that of BN, the coalition to which it belongs.
"BN has not make any stand on this issue, at least not to our knowledge; any party member can make its stand," replied Chua when asked on the possibility of a clash of opinions.
Added Lim: "We are confident that the numbers of students in surrounding area will increase, hence we look at it from a neutral rather than emotional point of view.
"We appeal to the federal government to study the case carefully and come to a satisfactory solution."
As to whether Gerakan will be the mediator for the Education Ministry and the Action Committee To Save the Damansara School, Chua said that all parties will do things their own way.
Lum added that the party will leave the final decision on the fate of the old school to the federal government.
Community schools
Early this year, students from the school were directed by the Education Ministry to temporarily transfer to SJK (C) Puay Chai (II)- a few kilometres away - while the new building in Tropicana is being built. Sixty-seven students, however, were adamant on staying put at the old school.
Today, that figure has risen to 74, despite Education Minister Musa Mohamed's warning that the students will be expelled if they did not transfer to Puay Chai II by today.
The action committee to defend the old school stated that the education of the students in the neighbourhood temple will not be compromised, even though the classrooms are not as ideal as the original ones in the adjacent school building that was sealed off by the ministry.
"With the help of (Chinese educationist body) Dong Jiao Zong, the committee will arrange containers to be the temporary classrooms and hire full-time teachers," declared a statement from the committee.
The committee is appealing to all communities nationwide to request for and develop their own community schools so that children can walk to school without having to wake up early to catch the bus.
"With community schools, the children will have more sleeping time, the roads will be less congested, and the air and noise pollution will decrease," said the committee.
Previous report:
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