LETTER | ​It is deeply concerning that SJK(T) Ladang Sedenak in Kulai, Johor, which was established in 1959, has had to rely on raw well and spring water for 67 long years.

We live in an era of rapid modernisation and progress, yet for decades, students here were left without a standard amenity that most take for granted.

Fortunately, a long-overdue solution has arrived. The Johor state government deserves appreciation for stepping in and approving the necessary grant to install a proper, treated water supply system.

Collaborative upgrading works with Ranhill SAJ are currently underway to connect a 300m pipeline from the main road, with completion expected within four weeks.

While this is a major victory for the school community, it is a milestone that should not have taken a lifetime to achieve.

Over the decades, successive school administrations, the Parent-Teacher Association, the Old Boys Association, the District Education Department, and the State Education Department should have collectively championed this cause with greater urgency.

Allowing such a basic necessity to be overlooked for decades represents a significant gap in oversight and proactive leadership.

​Granted, older schools built in rural plantation areas were established long before municipal water grids reached these isolated zones.

However, this historical context can no longer serve as an excuse.

Access to clean, treated water is not a luxury or a privilege; it is a basic necessity and a fundamental human right for every single school and child.

When an institution lacks treated, running water, it directly impacts student health, basic human dignity, and the overall quality of the learning environment.

How could this have happened?

This situation naturally raises urgent questions about long-term accountability.

How did this systemic issue persist across generations? While it is common to place the blame entirely on politicians and elected representatives, we must also look at the responsibilities of administrative leaders on the ground.

There are currently 528 Tamil national-type primary schools (SJKT) operating across 11 states, serving roughly 85,000 students.

A significant portion of these schools is fighting for survival. Around 155 are classified as sekolah kurang murid, operating with 30 or fewer pupils due to the migration of families from rural estates to urban centres.

​If we are fully committed to preserving these institutions and protecting the welfare of the future generation, we cannot afford administrative complacency.

Ensuring basic dignity and robust infrastructure for our rural schools today is essential to securing their survival tomorrow.

True leadership requires constant vigilance, timely action, and a refusal to let any school fall through the cracks.

The author is an aide to the MIC deputy president and Tapah MP M Saravanan.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.