Tussle for brownie points over school

The Damansara Chinese primary school - reopened after eight years - remains at the centre of a tussle for political mileage between MCA and DAP.

Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong yesterday officiated at a ceremony to unveil the school's new name - SRK(C) Chung Hwa Damansara, taken from a school being relocated from Perak.

Wee said SJK(C) Subang assistant principal Bai Chun Mei will head the school, which will have 11 teachers for the 111 students already registered.

He urged parents to send their children to the school and directed ministry officials to cooperate fully in ensuring a smooth transition to reopening the facility.

Wee - who is MCA Youth head - had also led a team of 150 from the wing to help clean up the premises.

Among those present were Wanita MCA chief Chew Mei Fun, Federal Territory Youth head Chiew Lian Keng and Selangor Youth head Kow Cheong Wei.

However, the presence of some 20 DAP supporters - holding banners in front of the school - took the shine off the ceremony.

The protesters, accompanied by Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu, interrupted Wee's speech to urge the government to ensure that the school was given back to the community in a good condition.

After the ceremony, Liu went on stage and alleged that the primary school was not being ‘reopened' as claimed, but merely being used to accommodate the relocated school.

"Once Pakatan Rakyat takes over the federal government, we will change the name back (to signify that it is really being reopened)," he said.

‘Repairs on schedule'

At press conference afterwards, Wee rebutted DAP's criticism of apparent delays in repairs to the school.

He said the government has spent more than RM300,000 and that the work will be completed "before Dec 30", in time for the new school year from Jan 5.

MCA took an interest in the school after the thrashing the party received in the March 8 general election.

Voters made the Barisan Nasional component party pay for its perceived indifference to issues important to the Chinese community.

Supporters of the Damansara school had waged a long fight after the Education Ministry closed the school. Most of the students moved to a new facility in adjacent Tropicana, which was said to provide a more conducive learning environment.

However, some parents refused to transfer their children, who continued their studies in air-conditioned containers placed in the compound of a temple.

The school ran with the support of the community, which raised funds and kept up its lobby for it to be reopened.

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