MCA president Ong Ka Ting rejected a flyer distributed by a member of the Save Our School (SOS Damansara) committee when he visited Ijok town last Sunday morning.

Ong who was with Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon and other party members were greeted by SOS Damansara members when they were about to leave the Ijok town's MCA operation room.

A group of 10 SOS Damansara members were there for the first time to distribute flyers to appeal for the re-opening of the old SRJK(C) Damansara.

SRJK (C) Damansara, a Chinese primary school, had been vacant since 2001 after it was closed down in a controversial move by the Education Ministry. A new building was constructed about 4km away.

Following its closure, SOS Damansara committee was set up by local residents and non-government organisations to fight for its re-opening.

'Not a gentleman'

When contacted, SOS Damansara committee member Lam Yoke Siu said she was surprised to see the ministers but was disappointed that Ong rejected her flyer.

"When I saw them walking down the stairs, I gave each of them a flyer. Najib and Koh received the flyers with acknowledging nods but Ong did not want to take it when it was handed to him," she said disappointingly.

"I think Ong was not behaving like a gentleman," she added.

Lam said Ong looked surprised by her presence and refused to take the flyer by waving both hands in the air.

"There were too many people there and I even made a mistake by giving Najib the Chinese version of the flyer," she laughed over the phone with malaysiakini.

SOS Damansara executive secretary Tan Xiang Chen said while they were distributing the flyers, a MCA member present with the minister told her that the flyers were meaningless.

When I handed him the flyer, he advised me to go home and not to waste my time there.

Second visit

Today, a group of 15 members of SOS Damansara went to Batang Berjuntai to distribute the flyers again.

Tan said the second trip was made possible because it was a holiday and they hoped to inform Ijok residents about the problem they faced.

"We hope to have their support and understanding so that they would not be fooled by the Education Ministry," she said.

At about 5.30pm, the group went to Ijok town's MCA operation room and managed to meet up with Dr Koh Tsu Koon and MCA Youth National Secretary Wee Ka Siong ( left) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party Youth Chief Tiong King Sing.

When contacted, SOS Damansara chairperson Yong Yoke Sung told malaysiakini that he asked Wee when he wanted to have a drink with him, as he (Wee) had promised last December during their meeting with MCA leaders.

He said Wee replied "next time, depends on the results".

"I don't know whether he means he will re-open the Damansara school when BN wins or loses [in Ijok]," Yong added.