MP: ‘Take what you can’ not good enough, Mahdzir

A DAP parliamentarian has expressed regret at the statement by Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid on the budget cuts which had affected maintenance and development allocations for Chinese primary schools, as reported by China Press yesterday.

“For example, if it was the minister and his deputy who did not get their pay or monthly allowance, they would lodge a complaint with the Finance Ministry immediately, and not only after one year of not receiving their pay and allowance.

“Take what you can is not a solution. The lack of funding and delay in delivery of the allocations should have been detected in mid-2016 or earlier,’ Rasah MP Teo Kok Seong said in a statement.

He was responding to Mahdzir telling Chinese schools to “take what they can” now as the maintenance and development allocations for them are not enough due to budget cuts.

The minister said that the matter will be resolved by the end of this month.

Teo added that the allocations for Chinese schools were part of the government promise when tabling Budget 2016 before Parliament in October 2015.

“The allocation for the maintenance and development of all schools for 2016 was promised by Prime Minister (Najib Abdul Razak),” he said.

The failure to deliver that promise is tantamount to breaking the government’s word and BN’s ‘Janji ditepati’ pledge, sniped the DAP elected representative.

In any case, Teo hoped that the ministry will take a more serious approach to resolve the issue of lack of monies to allocate for the schools as the allocations are mostly earmarked for essential maintenance work to ensure the safety and comfort of teachers and pupils.

The MP said that not only are the 800 Chinese primary schools affected, but he found out that the national-type Chinese secondary schools are also facing the same problem.

Teo expressed worry that the matter may also affect other vernacular schools like Tamil schools.

He urged the ministry to list down the schools which had been given the allocation to ensure that all schools get their fair share and to ensure transparency and stave off abuses.- Mkini