(From third left) Dr Annuar, SJK(C) Kiang Hin board chairman Kapitan So Teck Kee, Wong and others jointly perform the cake-cutting ceremony.
SIBU: Chinese schools in the country are no longer just for the Chinese but all races.
Second Finance Minister and Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said this when officiating at the 90th anniversary cum Chinese New Year celebration of SJK(C) Kiang Hin at Kingwood Hotel here on Tuesday night.
“As you can see, SJK(C) Kiang Hin with about 300 pupils is a multiracial school.
“Out of that number, about 100 are non-Chinese. This is very significant, because as a school in a remote area, this school is not just catering for the Chinese but for the non-Chinese too,” he pointed out.
He said more and more parents now are sending their children to Chinese schools because of the value of Chinese education.
So (second right) presents a memento to Wong while Dr Annuar (second left) and others look on.
“Chinese education does not just emphasise on the academic side but also character building,” he pointed out.
Thus, the problems faced by the Chinese schools are not just problems for the Chinese but everyone, he said, adding that all should be concerned about it.
However, he urged Chinese leaders to keep on striving hard for the development of Chinese schools.
“In this multi-racial country, to solve problems, we need to be patient,” he advised.
Meanwhile, Wong said he had full faith that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg would help out in the development of Chinese schools.
At the function, Wong announced an allocation of RM50,000 each for SJK(C) Kiang Hin and SMK Kiang Hin.
Also present at the event was Assistant Minister of Education and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee.