I won’t stop talking about Chinese school issue: Guan Eng

PENANG Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who has been trading barbs with MCA over the latter’s disclosure that 10 new Chinese primary schools will be built and six under-enrolled ones relocated, said he will not stop criticising unless the school proposals are included in the budget for 2018.

Responding to MCA chief Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai’s call on Tuesday for Lim to stop his tirade, Lim told a press conference at Komtar on Wednesday that to him, the Chinese school proposals do not count as the prime minister made no mention of them in Budget 2018.

“Why were they not included in the Budget? Why is the construction of Chinese primary schools being hushed up? Why can’t the matter be made more transparent?” he was quoted as saying by Sin Chew Daily yesterday.

Lim said based on his experience in presenting the state’s annual budgets as chief minister, the government has to make announcements (regarding proposed projects) in presenting the budget, then only will allocations be disbursed accordingly in the subsequent year for these projects to be implemented.

“On the contrary, MCA claimed it had successfully fought for the construction of 10 new schools and the relocation of six others but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak did not make any announcement on the matter in the Budget.

“I believe that in the end, the Chinese community will be made to fund the construction or relocation of these schools.”