Hisham! Where's the Chinese school you promised?

By FMT Staff

SHAH ALAM: The community at Putra Heights here want the federal government to fulfil its pledge to build a Chinese school for their school-going children.

According to the SRJK(C) Tun Tan Siew Sin working committee, former education minister Hishammuddin Hussein had promised in 2006 to construct a school in the area.

But four years have passed and there has been no indication of a school coming up.

According to committee chairman Chong Thim Siew, the 500 students living in Putra Heights have to travel six to 16km to their respective schools.

The nearest schools are SRK Wawasan and USJ23 secondary school, which are 10km and 6km away respectively.

The Subang Jaya Chinese School is 16km away from Putra Heights.

'Ninth Malaysia Plan almost over'

“We urge the government to immediately build a school here so that it can be used for the 2012 session.

"It is a situation of utmost urgency as we have been informed that the neighbouring schools are all almost packed for the 2011 session,” Chong told reporters here.

He said on July 8, 2006, Hishammuddin had announced that the government will build the school under the Ninth Malaysia Plan but until now nothing has been done.

“The promises have remained just that... pledges. It’s been four years and the Ninth Malaysia Plan is almost over... and there is no indication of a school coming up,” Chong said, adding that the community had lived in Putra Heights for over 10 years.

Throngs of parents, who attended the press conference, also signed a petition urging the government to keep its promise. The petition is to be forwarded to the relevant ministry.