Hopes for the reopening of the original SRJK (C) Damansara were rekindled after Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong visited the school this morning.

Wee - the highest official to visit the controversial school - was accompanied by his officials and Save Our School committee of Kampung Damansara Baru (SOS Damansara) acting chairperson Hew Wah.

However, the deputy minister said the decision whether the primary school will be reopened to the public remains with minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

"I dare not speculate when the decision will be made but it will be made as soon as possible by the minister who has the final say," he told reporters after his 20-minute tour around the school and surrounding areas.

Built in 1930, the Damansara school located at Section 17, Petaling Jaya is the only Chinese primary school in the area and one of the oldest in the country.

The school was closed by the Education Ministry on Jan 2, 2001 on grounds that it no longer provided a "conducive learning environment" citing traffic congestion and noise pollution from the neighbouring Sprint Highway.

At that time, the school was under pressure to enrol too many students primarily from areas that did not have vernacular primary education institutions.

Subsequently, the new Damansara school was built later in Tropicana, located several kilometres away from the original premises where the bulk of the students had moved to.

However, several disgruntled parents and supporters refused to move their children citing communal reasons, resulting in the formation of the SOS committee.

Since then, classes have been conducted in air-conditioned containers placed in the neighbouring Ruan Liang temple.

There are currently 37 students and 10 teachers conducting classes on funds raised from the public through collections and annual dinners.

Problems fixable

Wee visited the two school blocks and noted that the structural integrity was still intact.

"In my observation based on my engineering experience, I see the problems are not serious except for the wiring and the safety of students on the road side.

"But the physical structure is still good despite being abandoned for seven years. What is unsafe appears to be fixable," he said.

Dilapidated empty wooden cupboards, broken window panes and an old refrigerator greeted Wee in what appeared to be the staff room.

As reporters followed him, unused desks and chairs covered in thick layers of dust, were noted. The ceiling lamps and fans were also rusting heavily.

Wee also visited the temple where the makeshift classes have been held before paying his respects to the late SOS Damansara chairperson Yong Yoke Sung who passed away in March this year.

Asked to comment on the deputy minister’s visit, Hew expressed hope that a favourable announcement would be made by Hishammuddin before the committee’s annual fund raising dinner on June 28.

"Hishammuddin previously promised that he will look into this matter and we see Wee’s visit here today as fulfilling that promise.

"We sincerely hope that we will hear good news from the ministry before or during our annual solidarity dinner," he said.

It was also made known that invitations to be the guest of honour at the dinner have been given to Hishammuddin and Wee.

The lack of Chinese primary schools provided by the government caused increased competition amongst parents to enrol their children and over-enrolment has been a long standing problem in the Chinese community.

The Education Ministry and government has been fiercely criticised for not allocating enough funds to build more vernacular schools in the country.

Also present this morning were MCA women's deputy chief Chew Mei Fun and other officials.