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Funds set aside for Tamil schools by the Penang and Selangor governments have convinced the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) that the strong support it lent to Pakatan Rakyat during the last general election was not in vain.
“It proves that Hindraf’s campaign urging people to vote for a change was a correct decision. At least Pakatan governments have demonstrated that they care for Tamil schools, unlike the previous state Barisan Nasional administrations,” Hindraf national co-ordinator RS Thanenthiran told Malaysiakini yesterday.
“Pakatan has fulfilled its electoral pledge to provide financial assistance, irrespective of race and religion.”
The movement’s vociferous campaign for change was the main reason Indian voters who were pro-BN had switched en bloc to the Pakatan coalition in the March general election.
Under its 2009 budget, Penang’s Pakatan government set aside RM1.5 million as development funds to be disbursed to 28 Tamil schools in the state.
In the budget tabled at the state legislative assembly earlier this month by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the state government also set aside RM4.5 million for 124 Chinese and missionary schools, RM1.5 million for 15 religious schools, and RM1 million for five private secondary schools.
The Selangor government, headed by Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, alocated RM4 million for Tamil schools in the state, besides setting aside RM6 million for Chinese schools.
“Our campaign to switch Indian support from BN to Pakatan was not a waste after all,” said Thanenthiran, adding that the previous administrations had neglected Tamil schools in both states to the extent that they were left to “rot and meet a natural demise.”
“It’s another example of the Umno-led government’s marginalisation of Indians,” he said, referring to Hindraf’s 18-point memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last year.
The memorandum included a demand to the government to set aside yearly development funds for Tamil schools.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ramasamy said the state allocation was being dispersed accordingly by a state-level Tamil school co-ordination committee overseen by him.
Previously, the state government had difficulties communicating with the Tamil schools due to federal political intervention, but Ramasamy said the relationship had vastly improved since the committee was formed.
“The committee would disburse the funds fairly and priority would be given to needy schools,” he said, adding that land has also been earmarked for the construction of new buildings for Tamil schools, SRJK Azad, SRJK Batu Kawan and SJK Ladang Valdor.
We have to see if this will a continuous support or a one-off funding. we have to look at land availability, building construction, infrastructure etc. as well.
As usual, our good friend from the banned HINDRAF is missing the point completely. The amount of money that PR govts allocated in Selangor and Penang is a paltry amount that would even last a few months. In fact if you compare the amount they receive from Federal govt (allocated under MOE budget), this amount is totally insignificant. Further, this is no diffrence from what MIC gets occasionally from state and Federal here and there. In fact MIC gets far more than this Rm 5.5 million for Tamil schools.
What is expected out of PR govt is a change in philosophy and strategy and not some “picchai” (alms) for our schools. The Tamil schools need to be turned into “fully aided” as a first step. In order to do that, the state govts must buy the land occupied by the “partially-aided” schools,since land matters are still under the purvue of states. Only then these schools can be switched to “Fully aided”. Secondly, the state govts should allocate more land for these schools in the right location. The Selangor govt can talk all day about allocating land for temples and schools but the question is if they have the political will to give land in places where there are large Indian populations. There is no point in giving land in the middle of now where. Unfortunately, this is what going to happen in Selangor and Penang based on what I have heard and seen so far.
Thirdly, there is no point talking about land when there is no fund for schhols. For example, the Rm 1.5 M that Rama is so proud about would not even enough to build a single school, even in a relatively rural area in Penang or Selangor. So I think PR state govts should stop talking and get to work and show us real plans for Indians.