KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry, in a statement today. said it will not be pressured by anyone to accept a building as a government school.
The ministry said this while responding to SJKC Khai Chee, Segambut's board of governors' appeal to retain its single-session system and the use of their four-storey annex.
In a statement today, the ministry stressed that the board defied its reproach and proceeded to build an additional building on a private lot.
"This is unreasonable and we cannot be pressured by any party to accept any building as a government school. The ministry is subject to rules and regulations which are enforceable by law."
It further disclosed that the school through its principal, had applied to build a one-block building on private land as an additional building to the school between 2012-2014.
However, as the school sits on a 0.69ha plot belonging to the Federal Land Commissioner their building plans had to go through protocols related to the construction of an education institution.
The school had to submit proof that oil-company Chevron Malaysia Ltd had opened or disposed of the caveat on the site in question, besides resubmitting the scope of the project to comply with rules and guidelines stipulated for development planning under the National Development Planning Committee under the Prime Minister's Department.
The school also had to submit a letter of guarantee on the handover the new site and building to the government as it was now a government facility.
"Until now the ministry has not received a complete application that meets the three conditions set from the board of governors to enable any consideration to be made.
"A report and survey by the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Education Department (JPWPKL) in 2014, also found that the construction of additional buildings had begun at the proposed site without obtaining the ministry's approval .
"A stop work order was issued by JPWPKL on Dec 8, 2014 as the building was proposed as a government school. However checks by the department found that the governors still proceeded with the construction of the building. Therefore, the JPWPKL issued a second stop work order on Sept 7, 2015. But even this was ignored."
Earlier the school's board chairman Lim Beng Hean said the ministry in a letter on Feb 21 this year had ordered the school to stop using the building and move back to the original site.
He claimed this was done despite the fact that talks were ongoing between the parties to seek a resolution, with the latest discussion held on Dec 30, last year.
He claimed that the current capacity of the school including its four-storey building allows its 2,000 over students from Primary One to Six and 100 plus teachers and staff to attend school as a one-session facility.
The school expanded its area in 2017 after purchasing the land adjacent to its original site from Chevron and built the annex.
Lim said that having to move back would inconvenience parents and teachers, citing the dearth in parking for teachers and administrators to the lack of manpower for conducting proper sanitising works.
He appealed to the ministry for at least a year to extend the single session while we work together towards a win-win solution.
He also hoped that MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong would assist them by approaching the prime minister to seek a long-term solution.
