Hiccups and progress of 16 Chinese vernacular schools

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek disclosed information on the construction of 10 schools and relocation of six national type Chinese schools.

“Ministry of Education (KPM) has approved the construction requests for three new SJKC schools under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), namely SJKC Cheah Fah in Johor, SJKC Ecoworld, and SJKC Too Joon Hing in Selangor,” she said.

One school has commenced operation, another to be relocated in June 2024.

Out of the six (6) relocated SJKC schools, one school, namely SJKC Ladang Grisek in Pasir Gudang, Johor, has commenced operations in March 2020, Fadhlina said.

Another school, SJKC Poay Chai in Taman Bukit Indah, Johor that was to be relocated, is expected to commence operations in June 2024, she said.

SJKC Ladang Regent construction is currently underway in its initial phases. The school previously had successfully conduct groundbreaking ceremony for the relocation.

Fadhlina revealed this in a written reply to Chong Zhemin (PH-Kampar) who asked for the status of 10 SJKC that is under construction and six that is scheduled for relocation.

Hiccups on relocation and construction of SJKC

Construction on SJKC Too Joon Hing, Sepang has been delayed due to ongoing court proceedings.

The construction of SJKC Sim Mow Yu in Taman Bistari Perdana, Johor Bahru, Johor, has been discontinued due to its proposed location being too close to the operational SJKC Ladang Grisek.

The construction for one of the 10 new SJKC schools (SJKC Tan Kah Kee,Iskandar Puteri) has been cancelled.The construction permit was transferred to SJKC Chung Ching 2, Kg. Tiram, Kuantan, Pahang.

The construction request for SJKC Kuek Ho Yao in Mount Austin, Johor Bahru, Johor, is still under review by the Johor Education Department and architectural consultants, she said.

Two other SJKC schools, namely SJKC Panching in Kuantan, Pahang, and SJKC Aik Hua in Taiping, Perak, are still operating at their original locations, and applications for new building construction at new locations have not been submitted to the Ministry of Education for consideration and approval, according to the education minister.

She also said Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) has previously approved government land conversion at Lot 66353, Jalan Perindustrian Puchong, for SJKC Poi Min, Perak, but construction has not yet begun.

Yet to approve

The Education Ministry has yet to approve six other schools, including SJKC Tun H.S. Lee in Ulu Tiram, Johor; SJKC Tan Kah Kee in Gerbang Nusajaya, Johor; SJKC Lee Loy Seng in Bandar Seri Coalfields, Selangor; SJKC Gamuda Cove, Selangor; and SJKC Sunsuria in Bandar Sunsuria, Sepang, Selangor.

“The education ministry advises relevant parties to submit construction applications through the state education department with complete supporting documents for further consideration,” she advised.

In 2017, the government approved the construction and relocation of SJKC.

The new schools to be construct in Johor include SJKC Kuek Ho Yao, Tebrau; SJKC Sim Mow Yu, Plentong; SJKC Tun HS Lee, Ulu Tiram; SJKC Tan Kah Kee, Iskandar Puteri; and SJKC Cheah Fah, Iskandar Nusajaya.

While in Selangor, the new schools are SJKC Lee Loy Seng, Kuala Selangor; SJKC Sunsuria, Dengkil; SJKC Tun Ong Yoke Lin, Kuala Langat; SJKC Tun Lim Chong Eu, Puncak Alam; and SJKC Too Joon Hing, Sepang.

Schools that are being relocated are SJKC Poay Chai, Kedah to Taman Bukit Indah, Johor; SJKC Poi Min, Perak to Puchong Perdana, Selangor; SJKC Aik Hua, Perak to Negri Sembilan; SJKC Ladang Regent, Negri Sembilan to Bandar Elmina, Selangor; SJKC Panching, Kuantan, Pahang to Kota SAS, Pahang; and SJKC Ladang Grisek, Ledang, Johor to Taman Kota Masai, Johor.