It has been six years since a new township Putra Heights in Subang Jaya came into existence. And since then too it has been a struggle for the residents there to send their children to school, some going as far as USJ4.

The residents had, through their local councillor, submitted their application for a school to be built in Putra Heights. It was learnt that a plot of land was already allocated for a sekolah wawasan or vision school under the 9th Malaysia Plan. However, with the about-turn results of the last general election, plans to build the school were put on hold, indefinitely. With the 9th Malaysia Plan (2006-2010) coming to an end, the residents are wondering if they will ever see a school as promised for their children.

A check with the Selangor Education Department has revealed that the application for a school was already forwarded to the Education Ministry, then under the purview of Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. With Muhyiddin Yassin now taking over as the Education Minister, is there any hope that he will be serious enough in addressing the residents' plight for a school in Putra Heights or will education be sacrified under the political knife as Selangor is no longer a Barisan Nasional stronghold.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has said that the government must listen to the people as the days of "the government knows best are over" and that the residents voice will be given due hearing. May I, as a concerned resident of Putra Heights ask Najib if he really meant that or was it simply rhetoric in action?

I worry that politicians, be they Najib or his deputy prime minister Muhyiddin, will only do good playing lip service to the people and will with no remorse overlook the plight of the residents of Putra Heights for a school for their children. It is only common sense that education be made accessible to all and in this regard building a school in a rapidly developing township like Putra Heights is not asking for much.

Before the application letters and file go missing from the many hands at the Education Ministry, it is sincerely hoped that Muhyiddin will get down to work in ensuring that the school in Putra Heights takes shape without any political pressure or interference. Otherwise, do not bother giving people false hopes that the federal government has the interest of the people at heart.