KUCHING: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government will allocate grants for Chinese independent schools and continue giving allocations to aided Chinese primary schools.
This assurance comes from Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Chieng Jen, who has said that the new government would not neglect the needs of Chinese schools in the country.
He points out that SJK Chung Hua Stampin at Jalan Sungai Tapang here is in need of at least RM3 million to build a new block.
“Through the good efforts of the school board of management, RM600,000 has been raised so far. Our emphasis is on the needs of the school.
“We will bid for federal fund for the expansion project of SJK Chung Hua Stampin,” he said at a briefing with the school board led by Pui Wen Mui and headmistress Ngu Siong Ngo at SJK Chung Hua Stampin here yesterday.
Chong, who is Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, said the PH government would not do what the previous government did – allocating a very low percentage of development expenditure for Chinese schools.
According to him, the previous government allocated only one per cent of its total development expenditure for Chinese schools.
He said the total number of students in Chinese schools in the country constituted up to 20 per cent of the total number of students nationwide.
“Even though they make up 20 per cent of the student population in the country, their schools were given only one per cent of the development expenditure.”
Chong said the recent remarks by Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik had been misconstrued – he (Chong) clarified that the PH federal government would allocate funds for Chinese independent schools as promised in the coalition’s election manifesto.
He explained that the minister was merely reading out a written answer prepared by the officer concerned.
“Of course, I’m not saying that it’s right to do so (just reading the answer out), but we have to understand that there is only one and a half hours for the Q&A session in Parliament.
“And only the first 15 of about 60 to 70 questions would be answered by ministers and deputy ministers a day,” he said.
Nevertheless, Chong reassured all that the PH government would continue to allocate development funds not only for aided Chinese primary schools, but also for Chinese independent schools.
“People are saying we are not doing this and that, but we are only two months old (as a) government. I think we need some time to implement policies.”
He said some policies could be implemented quickly, such as that on Goods and Services Tax (GST), which had been reviewed from six to zero per cent.
“Some (policies) need longer time (to implement). I’m sure there will be more positive development for Chinese schools in the future,” added Chong.