MCA central delegates to decide on party’s status in Barisan Nasional on Dec 2, says Wee.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching should explain the progress in disbursing this year’s RM50mil special allocation for Chinese schools, says MCA vice-president Datuk Tan Teik Cheng.

In a statement, Tan pointed out that there were only a few days left until the year-end holidays for Chinese primary schools.

However, there has been no news on the RM50mil special allocation.

“When will the RM50mil special allocation as promised be distributed to the SJKCs?

“Teo Nie Ching must muster the courage with which she lambasted MCA previously on the same issue, to give a satisfactory explanation to the Chinese community,” Tan said.

He said Teo had attacked former deputy education minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon over a deferment in the special allocation for Chinese schools in 2016 and 2017.

“According to her, if MCA was truly the guardian of Chinese education, then Datuk Chong Sin Woon should stop receiving the 2017 salary till the Chinese schools get their special allocations.

“Going by Teo Nie Ching’s standards, shall she stop receiving her salary for the second half of 2018, or until the Chinese schools get their 2018 allocations?”

Tan, who is also Penang MCA chairman, said Teo had not responded to questions from the Chinese community regarding the lack of funds.

“When Datuk Chong Sin Woon was the deputy education minister, DAP had tried with all its might to lambast MCA on the education issue,” he said.

However, it was the DAP leadership which actually should be criticised for its incompetence on the subject of Chinese education, Tan added.

He said the DAP had boasted that it would take good care of Chinese education and that Chinese community could hope for better days if the party came to power.

“However, it is the other way round now, as DAP seems powerless even when it is in the government administration.”

Tan said DAP has failed to ensure that the government recognises the Unified Examination Certificate immediately after winning the election.

He said the government allocation for the Tunku Abdul Rahman University College had also been slashed to RM5.5mil from RM30mil.

“I hope Teo is still keeping the banner with the phrase ‘when will the RM50mil allocation be distributed’ to remind herself, just like how she reminded MCA in the past,” Tan said.