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RM10 mil 'ang pow' for Chinese schools |
| Soon Li Tsin and Wong Teck Chi | Dec 31, 07 6:44pm |
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The government will give a RM10 million 'bonus' to Chinese schools nationwide to usher in the new year, said MCA president Ong Ka Ting today.
Ong told the 100 audience made up of Chinese school leaders at the party headquarters in Wisma MCA that another RM4 million will be distributed in two to three weeks’ time. The government has earlier allocated RM174 million for the Ninth Malaysia Plan for Chinese schools to spread over five years from 2006 to 2010. “Coming to the end of 2007, we have an RM10 million ‘ang pow’ to celebrate the new year. This is good news for the Chinese community,” he proclaimed before giving the cheques out. Of the RM6.32 million, RM4.72 million has been allocated to 24 Chinese primary schools nationwide. Five Chinese secondary schools – government-subsidised schools – also get a bonanza of RM650,000 while three Chinese independent schools – completely private schools – receive RM450,000. Meanwhile, a cheque worth RM500,000 was given to Johor’s Southern College – a private educational institution founded by the Chinese community. The cheque ceremony was also attended by MCA leaders including party deputy president This windfall is part of a string of good news for the Chinese education sector after the opening of SRJK (C) Ladang Harcroft in Puchong earlier this month. The school, which was originally in Beruas, Perak, was left with one Standard 6 pupil in July last year. It was relocated to Puchong, a suburb south of Kuala Lumpur, because there was a need for a Chinese school there. The project was undertaken by business tycoon Lee Shing Cheng, executive chairperson of plantation conglomerate IOI Group. Ong said today that in recent years, MCA has helped relocated 61 Chinese primary schools and built nine new ones. |
At a cheque presenting ceremony at the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today, the housing and local government minister gave out RM6.32 million to 33 primary and secondary Chinese schools.
