SJK (C) Chin Woo in downtown Kuala Lumpur has taken MCA to task for failing to help stop the acquisition of part of the school compound which will be used for a government-owned restaurant.

School board chairperson Oo Tin Fuan said the Chinese-based political party should bear the biggest responsibility as the school was told not to take the issue public.

NONE Oo claimed that MCA deputy president Liow Tiong Lai and MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong had promised assistance in August and requested that the school to keep a low profile.

However, demolition works will take place on September 24 which will affect 15 of the school's facilities, including the guardhouse and two basketball courts.

"They (Liow and Wee) had also required us not to let a third party intervene... We waited for MCA for almost three weeks, but now, we can’t keep a low profile any more!" he told reporters at the school compound this morning.

Protest will be held

The tourism and culture ministry has acquired 1,393.55 sq metres of the school's compound for the construction of the Seri Melayu Restaurant. The school was informed of the matter on September last year.

Oo said letters issued by the land office have been forwarded to Liow last month but the only instruction he has received was to apply for a court order to postpone the demolition date.

NONE "His secretary told me that there were five to six MCA representatives were in talks with land office personnel," Oo said.

On Wee's role in the matter, Oo said that the former had promised to meet Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz on the matter, but there has been no updates since.

"It was only after that, the minister expressed his refusal to talk, stating that this was due to MCA’s intervention,” Oo said.

Oo urged those opposing the demolition to join a meditation session at the school compound on September 24.

"We are concerned that the demolition would affect the students’ learning progress in the classrooms and threaten their safety," he said, adding that other strategies to stop the demolition were in the works.

Related stories

Mind your language, MCA rep tells Pahang MB

Demolition at Chin Woo school 'suspended for now'