Penang seeks land titles for all 28 Tamil schools

 State executive councillor S Sundarajoo says five schools have already secured land ownership, while another five are awaiting land titles.

State executive councillor S Sundarajoo said the land titles were obtained after a special committee on Tamil schools was reactivated three years ago. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Five Tamil schools in Penang have secured land ownership, with the state targeting land titles for all 28 schools over the next few years, says executive councillor S Sundarajoo.

He said five schools had obtained land titles after a special committee on Tamil schools was reactivated three years ago.

Another five schools are still awaiting land ownership and the state hopes to resolve this matter within the next two to three years.

Sundarajoo said the state government has also provided a 0.93ha site in Farlim for the relocation of SJKT Rajaji.

Deputy education minister Wong Kah Woh said the 76-year-old school had received approval to begin construction at its new site.

He said the RM8 million project would be fully funded by a developer, Ideal Construction, and is expected to be completed within 18 months.

If the project stays on schedule, the school could begin operating at its new campus by the 2029 school year.

He said the allocation to maintain Tamil schools nationwide had increased from RM30 million to RM50 million this year, benefitting about 527 SJKTs across the country.

Separately, Wong said 22 government-aided Tamil schools in Penang would receive furniture and equipment worth RM1.156 million through an initiative funded by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra).

Sundarajoo said the state plans to hold groundbreaking ceremonies for at least three Tamil school projects this year.

He said efforts were also under way to revive the long-delayed SJKT Sungai Bakap and SJKT Juru projects, while work was continuing to secure land ownership for the remaining schools. - FMT