GEORGE TOWN – The education minister should not be keeping quiet over reports of the impending closure of SK Assumption in Butterworth here, said former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In his Facebook post yesterday, Najib said Education Minister Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin should not keep quiet as it gives rise to certain quarters to instigate the matter.
“Is this school closing?
“Is this school closing due to the land acquisition or low enrolment in the school, which is three storeys high but has only 55 students who are registered,” he asked, referring to reports of dwindling enrolment in the school echoed by state authorities.
Najib also urged the Education Ministry not to keep quiet as it gives an opportunity to the Pakatan Harapan-led Penang government to continue to mislead the public.
“Even though DAP-Pakatan Harapan claimed that the school was established 89 years ago, the truth is the building was just built in 2008 after the original structure was destroyed in a fire in 1995.
“The original private owner then sold the land, which the school occupies to a developer to build a condominium project,” he said.
However, the Pekan MP’s remarks drew a sharp rebuke from Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy, who posted that contrary to the remarks made by Najib, there is nothing disingenuous about wanting to prevent the school from being closed.
Ramasamy stressed that even if the school was moved to the present existing site in 2008, it doesn’t mean that the school had not existed before.
“I find it extremely petty for Najib to even raise doubts about the longevity of the school.
“What is so disingenuous about saying that the school was in existence for 89 years?
“What is the need for those in support of the continuation of the school to be dishonest?” he asked.
He also pointed out that Najib had forgotten that it was the Barisan Nasional government under the leadership of his predecessors and himself that had prevented the school from getting a piece of land.
“It is no exaggeration on the part of PH politicians or others to say that the school was built by Christian missionaries and managed by the La Salle Brothers before the land was sold to a private developer in the 1990s.”
“Before the school could be relocated to the present place, students were temporarily placed in a school in Sg Nyior.
“In 2008 the school was built by the private developer and students transferred to the building on the land owned by a private individual,” he said.
However, Ramasamy claimed that the ministry reneged on the promise to purchase the land from the private owner.
“If there is no problem in acquiring land for national schools, why did the Education Ministry drag its feet in acquiring land for the Assumption primary school?
“The education authorities did not take the matter of the school seriously.
“It was neglected for a long time. The promise made to the landowner was not fulfilled.
“The landowner became frustrated as he wanted to dispose of the land and move on.
“Apparently, he informed the Education Ministry that he found a buyer. Since the ministry was sluggish to act on the land, it was decided that the school would be closed with the students moved to other schools nearby.
“The question is, why does the ministry take so long to solve the problem? he asked.
Ramasamy also claimed that there was no assistance from the Christian missions over the school’s conundrum.
“They should not have sold the land in the first place without finding an alternative site.”
“Neither was there any attempt by the school’s Parent Teacher Association or alumni association to seek assistance from the state,” he said, adding that if approached, the Penang government could have come up with a plan of action.
Contrary to what was said by Najib, Ramasamy added that there is no nefarious attempt by Pakatan Harapan to embarrass anyone on the school’s closure. – The Vibes, January 11, 2022
