The Perak government has allocated 3,140 hectares of land to Chinese, Tamil and independent religious schools (SAR), to be cultivated with oil palm, aimed at improving and upgrading their management.

State information chief Hamdi Abu Bakar said the allocated for the purpose was situated at the Gunung Besout Forest Reserve near Tanjung Malim.

He said allegations that priority was given to independent Chinese schools when awarding such land was baseless and could be due to confusion in reports published.

"What was approved during the Perak state executive council meeting on April 14, was to award 1,000 hectares to independent Chinese schools, 800 hectares to SAR and mosques, 600 hectares to Tamil schools and 740 hectares to Yayasan Perak," he told reporters in Ipoh today.

Hamdi said land given to SAR and mosques would be managed by Perak Islamic Economic Development Corporation and the land belonging to Tamil schools would be managed by Perak.

Reports claimed that the independent Chinese schools would set up a company to manage the 1,000 hectares allocated to them.

He added that oil palm would be cultivated in all the land allocated.

- Bernama