RM12mil for Chinese schools

Independent schools to receive allocation next week

KUALA LUMPUR: The RM12mil allocation for Chinese independent schools announced under Budget 2019 will be issued next week by the Finance Ministry, says Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching.

“We have collected the bank account details of all schools.

“Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng will give out the funds next Friday at the New Era University College,” she said during the opening ceremony of Chong Hwa Independent High School Kuala Lumpur yesterday, which also saw the launch of Chong Hwa Square.

The 13-storey complex, which began construction in March 2016, was completed in conjunction with the school’s centennial celebration, marking a new milestone.

It consists of Chong Hwa Square, a lecture hall, a performance hall, a school history museum, an information centre, a library, a teacher and administrative office as well as a humanities, science and technology innovation centre.

Chong Hwa board of directors chairman Tan Sri Lim Keng Cheng said the project was tendered out at RM47mil.

“But we managed to reduce costs to RM32.5mil. It shows that we are able to use the funds efficiently,” he said.

He also announced plans for a sports complex, which would include an Olympic- size swim- ming pool.

“We plan to start constructing the complex on a 1.25ha piece of land behind the school.

“It is expected to be completed in three years and cost around RM20mil,” he said.

He said that they were currently trying to raise funds for the project.

There are over 5,000 students in the school, including those from Russia, China and South Korea.

Also present at the event were Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh, Cheras MP and Special Envoy to China Tan Kok Wai, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng and a representative of Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun.

Tan said all five of them would each donate RM10,000 to Chong Hwa Independent High School.

Chong Hwa Independent High School principal Cheong Moey Lian said this year coincided with the school’s 100th anniversary.

There will be a series of celebrations this year, including the “Glorious Chong Hwa” Centenary Anniversary Gala on March 21, which will have a record 400 drummers, and a charity sale on Aug 31.

For details, visit www.facebook. com/chkl100/

Seal of approval: (From left, with hands in plaster) Lip Eng, Yeoh, Teo, Tan, Keng Cheng, and Fong represented by his political secretary Lee Bong Hong placing their hands into a plaster mould. Looking on are Chong Hwa Independent High School principal Cheong (on Lip Eng’s right) and the school board of directors.