DAP leaders are deeply disappointed following a fund-raising dinner organised by the SJKC Damansara which invited a Barisan Nasional representative to grace the event.

On Saturday, the Save Our School (SOS) SRJK Damansara committee had organised a fund-raising dinner in Kuala Lumpur to help finance their publicity campaign, and to fund operations of a temporary school for students who refuse to be relocate to a new school.

DAP leaders, especially four DAP members of parliament from Kuala Lumpur, were notably absent from the sold-out dinner, which was attended by over 2,000 well-wishers.

Contacted today, Teresa Kok, the DAP MP for Seputeh and known campaigner for the SOS Damansara cause, said that she along with the three other DAP MPs had decided not to attend the event as they were unhappy that the dinner committee 'did not acknowledge our contributions to their struggle'.

"Despite all our help given (to SOS Damansara) after all these years, they invited (Gerakan member) Dr Lim (Thuang Seng). How can they give that much weight to someone who is merely a state assemblyman?" said Kok.

At the event, Lim who is the assemblyman for Bukit Gasing and Selangor state exco committee member, was the second person invited to speak after SOS Damansara committee president Yong Yoke Sing.

Kok lamented that it would have been an insult for the four DAP MPs to attend the event knowing that they had not been invited to speak despite their contributions.

"How would you feel to just go there are listen to Lim who is merely an state assemblyman who has not contributed?" she asked.

An 'embarrassment'

Former advisor to the SOS Damansara committee, Ronnie Liu, who is also DAP national publicity chief, also questioned the reason for the SOS Damansara dinner committee to provide Lim with such an honour.

"I had advised the committee that it was not proper to invite a BN representative when they are not helping at all. Before the school was closed, Lim was asked to intervene but he said that it was not his constituency," said Liu when contacted.

Liu said that it would have been an 'embarrassment' had DAP leaders attended the event and the public had asked why they were not invited to speak.

"It would be hard to answer such questions," said Liu.

In his speech at the dinner, Lim ( photo ) urged the committee to continue its struggle and expressed his open support for the reopening of the school. He later presented a RM3,000 donation to the committee.

Malaysiakini

learnt that Lim, who is also a Petaling Jaya municipal councillor, was instrumental in securing a permit for dinner, which was held at an open car park at Section 17, which falls under Lim's constituency.

Prior to the recent general election, Lim had also expressed his support for the reopening of the school, acknowledging that many of his constituents used to send their children there.

Committee president Yong could not be reached for comment.

Support remains

Liu brushed off suggestions that the dinner committee's action would jeopardise the relationship between SOS Damansara and DAP.

He said that DAP MPs had always raised questions regarding the school's closure in parliament and would continue to do so.

Kok, too, stressed that the party's stand on the issue had not changed and they would continue giving support to the group.

"We are still with the people. But they should know who their friends are," she said.

The dinner marked the 1,274th day since the closure of the SRJK Damansara three years ago. The closure was directed by the education ministry citing reasons such as overcrowding and a non-conducive study environment.

The move by the government was widely protested by Chinese guilds, Chinese education movements and other NGOs with DAP also joining in the fray.

The thorny issue surrounding the school has resulted in several controversies which includes the arrest of supporters who were distributing leaflets regarding the matter, and alleged attempts to turn the former school into a warehouse .

More recently, MCA president Ong Ka Ting was publicly snubbed for his disinterest in taking up the cause of the school.