How much did Chinese and Tamil primary schools get?

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Dare MCA, SUPP, MIC Or Gerakan State How Much Of The 8^th Malaysian Plan 2001-2005 Development Allocation For Primary Schools Of RM 6.6. Billion Is Allocated To Chinese And Tamil Primary Schools?

Press Statement
by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): DAP challenges MCA, SUPP, MIC and Gerakan to state how much of the 8^th Malaysian Plan(8MP) 2001-2005’s development allocation for primary schools of RM 6.6 billion is allocated to Chinese and Tamil primary schools. So long as these non-Malay BN component parties dare not reveal the percentage of RM 6.6 billion allocation for primary education that is allocated to Chinese or Tamil primary schools, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Han Choon Khin should not “make big wonder, small curiosity“ by creating big publicity in announcing another RM 3 million allocation for all Chinese schools in Malaysia.

Datuk Han had announced that this RM 3 million is from next year’s allocation giving rise to questions whether next year’s allocation to Chinese schools will therefore be reduced by RM 3 million. RM 3 million distributed to 1,284 Chinese primary schools in the country works out to less than RM 2,500/- per school. Datuk Han may be satisfied with this amount but the Chinese community is definitely not happy when they have to contribute and donate so much money to preserve the conditions of Chinese primary schools. Furthermore such allocation pales in comparison to the RM 6.6 billion in development allocation for primary education.

According to the Mid-Term Review Of 8MP presented by then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed on 30 October 2003, the government is allocating RM 40.2 billion over 5 years from 2001-5 to develop education and training. Of this amount RM 6.6 billion is allocated for development of primary education. The non-Malay community have a right to know how much of the RM 6.6 billion is allocated for Chinese and Tamil primary schools.

MCA should not be so irresponsible as to make the Chinese community look ridiculous by being happy with millions of ringgit in development allocation for Chinese primary schools when compared to the billions in ringgit of development funds available for all primary schools. “Small fish see big fish” Such lack of courage from the MCA or Gerakan to fight for a fair share of development funds for Chinese education has resulted in the government either refusing to build more Chinese primary schools or the Chinese community being forced to spending money to build Chinese schools that should be funded by the government.

Clearly such refusal to support Chinese schools can not be justified on educational needs. The time has come for BN not to look at education from a racial perspective but from a national outlook. Only then can Malaysia concentrate on utilizing education as a tool that is beneficial to the country’s development, and not as a weapon to divide Malaysians.

(30/11/2004)

* Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General