An opposition party has invited the presidents of MCA and Gerakan to a 'Damansara school unity' talk to resolve the SRJK (C) Damansara school relocation dispute.

In a press statement today DAP national chairman Lim Kit Siang said his party will invite MCA president Ling Liong Sik and Gerakan president Lim Keng Yaik to a meeting to discuss ways to resolve the issue.

"There is an urgent need for political parties and Malaysians, regardless of political beliefs and affiliations, to rise above political differences to take a common stand on issues affecting Malaysians which are worthy of multi-ethnic, multi-religious and non-partisan political support," said Lim.

"DAP is prepared to respond positively to the call by the Dong Zong deputy chairman Dr Yap Sin Tian at the Thousand-People "Save Our School Solidarity Dinner" in support of the retention of the SRJK (C) Damansara," said Lim.

All-party consensus

At the dinner last Saturday, Yap had called on political parties both in the government and the opposition to work together to realise the "one-school two-premises" solution to the Damansara school controversy.

"The 2001 Year of the Snake Chinese New Year would be most meaningful if all Malaysians could rise above partisan politics and place education as the transcending priority and an all-party consensus reached on the Damansara school issue when school re-opens next Monday," said Lim

Lim said that such a solution was a "win-win" formula as it would meet the wishes of all the parents concerned, both those who wish their children to remain in SRJK (C) Puay Chai (2) until construction of the new school at Tropicana in two years and those who wish their children to stay put at the original school premises in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

"Even more important, there is a third "win" in such a solution, making it into a "3-win" formula," said Lim.

At the dinner, Chinese teachers association Jiao Zhong vice-president Loot Tin Yu spoke of a "3-Win" formula, referring to the third win which would ensure that there would be an additional Chinese primary school in the area to meet increased demand from pupils of all races.

More non-Chinese

"As had been pointed out, under the Petaling Master Plan 1987-2010, 35 new primary schools would be built but they are all national primary schools without a single Chinese primary school - which is grossly unfair and totally unacceptable," said Lim.

Lim stated that Chinese primary schooling in the 21st century was no more a Chinese issue or one concerned solely with the Chinese community in Malaysia and this could be seen by the fact that there are more and more Malay and Indian pupils enrolled in the Chinese primary schools.

"If the Barisan Nasional government of (Prime Minister) Mahathir (Mohamad) really believes that teachers and students in Chinese primary schools are more dedicated and committed than their counterparts in the national primary schools - as said by Mahathir before the last general elections - it is time for a sea-change of the Barisan Nasional government policies on the building of new Chinese primary schools.

"The government should start with retaining the Damansara school as well as building a new one in Tropicana," said Lim.

MCA says no

In an immediate reaction, MCA president Ling Liong Sik said his party will not attend the "Damansara school unity".

"What unity talk? The school board has looked at the surroundings of the school. The children there have no playing ground and there are many vehicle workshops including a highway close by.

"The board and the PTA had unanimously decided that the old school site was unsuitable. What's the point of talking to (Lim) Kit Siang?" he told reporters after officiating a Hari Raya open house at the Ministry of Transport.