SJK Hock Lam awaits nod for concrete answer to termites

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Sng (seated centre) is seen with school board members at the press conference.

KAPIT: SJK Hock Lam is waiting for the authorities concerned to approve plans for a concrete three-storey classroom block.

The new block is necessary to replace the wooden double-storey classrooms declared unfit for occupation by the Public Works Department (JKR) due to termite attacks.

“At present, we have no intention to relocate SJK Hock Lam. Our immediate task is to wait for the approval of the drawing plans from the relevant authorities,” board of management chairman Larry Sng told a press conference on Friday.

“If everything goes smoothly, then the construction work will commence by the end of the year or early 2015 because we have to get the thing done quickly to overcome congestion as the pupil population is growing.”

He said the proposed three-storey building will have 15 classrooms, a library and computer room.

“We’re working on a budget of approximately RM1 million. We’ve received some grants from the government and the most recent amount was RM150,000.

“We’re still short of RM600,000 and we appeal to the corporate firms, businessmen, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and individuals to donate generously towards the building fund,” he said.

SJK Hock Lam is the only Chinese-aided primary school here.

It currently has over 40 teachers and some 700 pupils — 40 per cent of whom are Bumiputera.