Johor praised, S’gor slammed over Chinese schools

The Selangor Government’s stand on Chinese education is the “polar opposite” to that of Johor’s, says Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The MCA president said there was a huge difference in commitment to manage the increase of Chinese schools in the two states.

“The Johor government is very much committed in helping MCA by approving requests very promptly.

“Selangor tried to slow down the process and question the approval of the Federal Government on Chinese schools, making up all sorts of stories that gradually affected the development of such schools there,” he said after attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the SJK(C) Sim Mow Yu in Meriden East being developed by Mah Sing Group Bhd, here yesterday. Liow, who is the Transport Minister, cited the example of the SJK(C) Choon Hwa in Selangor which was supposed to relocate to Pandan.

He said the plan had received the nod from the Federal Government about 10 years ago including receiving financial aid but nothing has happened till now.

“The Selangor Government likes to play politics to fish for votes, but in the end, the people there will suffer. I’m quite saddened with education being politicised there,” he said.

On the other hand, Liow pointed out that the SJK(C) Sim Mow Yu project as a shining example of close cooperation between Johor, MCA and the Federal Government.

“The fast approval for the school must be a record and this is an encouraging sign for more schools to be built within a shorter period of time,” he said.

SJK(C) Sim Mow Yu, one of 10 new schools announced by the Education Minister last October, is named after the late Datuk Sim Mow Yu who campaigned tirelessly for Chinese education in the country.

The school will sprawl 3.88ha and cater to up to 1,000 pupils when it opens by January 2020.

Johor will get five Chinese schools including two that are relocated here, while Selangor will also have five new schools.

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who is also state MCA chairman, said besides SJK(C) Sim Mow Yu, another Chinese school would be build at Eco Tropics, not far from here to meet the demand for education.

“This area alone is 531.35ha in size with 15,000 units,’’ he added.

He said the school would face a commercial industrial park built by the same developer, with a Johor Affordable Housing scheme located beside.

“With five new schools, Johor will soon overtake Sarawak with the most number of Chinese schools in Malaysia with 222 schools,” he said, adding that Sarawak has the highest now with 220.