(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): An education ministry official who has chosen to remain anonymous has told The China Press yesterday (Monday, September 25, 2006) that the claim made by the MIC President was incorrect.

In fact, not even a single Tamil school was built under the 8^th Malaysian Plan and it is very unlikely that any new Tamil school will be built under the 9 ^th Malaysian Plan.

The official also explained that the so-called new schools were merely new school buildings constructed within the existing Tamil schools.

Samy Vellu has earlier "proudly" announced that a total of 21 new Tamil schools were built over the last five years and he is now asking for another 14 new ones to be built over the next 5 years.

Samy's statement also "stunned" the MCA leaders because they were unable to persuade the Barisan Nasional Government to build any new schools except for moving or replacing those schools that were shut down because of poor or no intake.

Samy has made this announcement in response to Nor Omar, the deputy Education Minister who disclosed that none of the 180 new schools being planned under the 9MP were Tamil or Chinese one.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has since challenged Samy to prove his claim as Lim was very sure that there was no truth in his announcement.

Lim has even publicly stated that he is prepared to say sorry to Samy if Samy could prove his claim.

Now that Samy was caught lying, would he be bold enough to admit his mistake and apologize to the Indian community in particular and to the Malaysian public in general?

Knowing Samy's character, he would rather argue that new school buildings are as good as or equivalent to new schools!?

On the other hand, the Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has decided to register a protest by moving an unprecedented motion in the coming Parliamentary session in November 2006 to cut the pay of the Education Minister, his two deputies and also the Parliamentary Secretary by RM10.

Lim has also decided to hold a roundtable in the Parliament in early October to discuss the matter. He calls on the civil society throughout the country, associations, educational bodies or school boards, to come forward to make their voices heard.

DAP MP for Bukit Mertajam, Chong Eng, who is the DAP parliamentary spokesperson on education, will be the coordinator for this Parliamentary Roundtable.

Lim hopes that all political parties, in particular MPs and leaders from MCA, Gerakan, MIC and SUPP, as well as Umno, will participate fully in the roundtable.

Anyone who is interested in participating in the Parliamentary Roundtable can also contact Chong Eng.
 

(26/09/2006)