MB to Tamil school PTAs: How did you spend RM4mil?

By FMT Staff

SHAH ALAM: Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim has directed the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) in all 97 Tamil schools in the state to explain how they spent the RM4 million allocation. The Selangor state government has set aside RM4 million a year for Tamil schools to help reduce their operation costs.

In an inaugural dialogue session organised by the Selangor Education Committee last Saturday, Khalid heard PTA representatives from the Tamil schools voice their problems and seek counsel and shared views on the development of Tamil schools in the state.

The committee had organised the dialogue in a bid to hear the views of all parties involved. Also present were state executive councillors Ronnie Liu, Hassan Ali, Xavier Jeyakumar, Halimah Ali and Rodziah Ismail.

“We had organised this meeting with the MB, excos and the PTA and school representatives to hear their views and study the RM4 million allocation we have set aside for Tamil schools.

‘I have asked all Tamil schools representative to provide us with information about their school and how the funds channelled to the PTA was used. We want to know the details so that we can study the expenses and see how best to put the funding to effective use,” said Khalid.

He said through such dialogues, the allocation could be studied carefully to ensure that the funds reach the targeted groups.

“We hope to forward the data that we receive to the federal government so that it can be included in the 10th Malaysia Plan,” Khalid added.

Good dialogue

Meanwhile, several PTA chairmen expressed satisfaction with the dialogue because it gave them an opportunity to voice their problems and share their views with the state administrators.

One of them, S Arumugam said: “The dialogue session was profitable to Tamil schools. We the PTAs want to improve the education of our children. We also want to improve the infrastructure in our schools.”

Another chairman Nandi Velu described the session as enlightening. “This dialogue is good because the MB gave us a chance to speak and discuss the allocations set aside for Tamil schools. It’s the best development in Selangor.”

Echoing his views was Tamima Resaken, who said: “I agree with what happened today. It is a good beginning for Tamil schools. I hope that such dialogues with the leaders will continue.”