|
SOS Damansara enters 909 days with a
show of solidarity from all over the country
Press Statement
by
Ronnie Liu Tian khiew
(Petaling
Jaya, Monday):
SJKC Damansara Save our School Committee marked the 909 days of
struggle with a sold-out dinner held at the selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
on last Saturday, 28 June 2003. The 123-tabled solidarity dinner was
attended by luminaries of the community, such as JiaoZong vice chairman
Cikgu Loot Tin Yee, Quek Suan Hiang (DongZong Chairman) and his deputy Dr
Yap Sin Tian, Ting Chee Seng ( Chairman of SCAH) and Members of Parliament
of the DAP, Dr Tan Seng Giaw and Fong Kui Lun.
Many heads and representatives of various associations of the cultural and
educational fraternities in the Klang Valley and the rest of the country
were there to demonstrate their support for the SOS movement. Students,
teachers, parents and villagers greeted them with warmest welcome and songs
and dance.
The speakers of the night have urged the BN Government leaders to respect
the aspiration of the Chinese community in the country by immediately
re-open the original SJKC Damansara. In his closing address, Tommy Chin Keh
Kong, the secretary of the committee, has openly invited the two new MCA
leaders Ong Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy to pay a visit to the Damansara
School. He describes the re-opening of the Damansara School as a real and
immediate test for the new MCA leadership.
The SOS Damansara Committee has launched donation drive called " A- Person-A
-Dollar" Campaign at the beginning of this year with considerable success.
To date, the committee has collected about RM150, 000, mainly from the Klang
Valley. Soon, the committee will travel to other parts of the country to
garner support for the campaign.
Every community deserves its own school. The forefathers of this village
built the original Damansara School more than 73 years ago. It happens to be
the first Chinese primary school in Petaling Jaya, long before Chin Woo,
Yoke Chai, Puay Chai and other schools set foot in Petaling Jaya. Its
student intake had reached more than 1,450 before it was ordered to close
down in January 2000 as a result of a strong lobby by the MCA local elected
representatives.
(30/6/2003)
* Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, SOS Damansara Committee Advisor and
DAP national publicity secretary
|
http://dapmalaysia.org