Rayer doesn't seem to know facts of Sg Bakap Tamil school: Ramasamy

SG BAKAP BY-ELECTION | The war of words between former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy and his former DAP colleague RSN Rayer has continued, with the former claiming that the latter seems unaware of the facts surrounding the Sungai Bakap Tamil School.

Ramasamy said Rayer seemed to have a poor grasp of the situation and pointed out that education matters fall under the federal government’s jurisdiction.

“His press conference was about why I as the former chairperson of the Penang Tamil School Committee for 14 years did not take any initiative to push for the building of the new Sungai Bakap Tamil School in the state constituency of Sungai Bakap.

“In other words, I should not be complaining about the lack of a new Tamil school when I had not done my work.

“Given his political and legal background, I find it difficult to understand that he has not kept up with developments in Penang with a poor grasp of the division of power between the states and the federal government,” said Ramasamy.

He said that education comes under the purview of the federal government and the building of schools comes also under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

“States can provide funds to schools and make state land available for the building of schools.

“But unfortunately, states have no say in the running, management, and control of national and vernacular schools,” said Ramasamy.

Not enough funds for new building

He said that the Sungai Bakap Tamil School is currently located on half an acre of land owned by a company.

“A few years back the school was asked to be relocated. It was in this context that the nearby four-acre federal land was allocated for the building of a new Sungai Bakap Tamil School not far from the present school.

“The school management was given a minuscule budget of RM3.5 million for the building of the new school. It was not surprising that the funds allocated were not sufficient to build the school.

“It was estimated that the school would need an additional RM15 million for its completion. The project was started in 2021 and was supposed to be completed in April 2024.

“But unfortunately, the cleared ground with some infrastructural works remains abandoned and overgrown with weeds,” he added.

Ramasamy claimed that without checking the facts, Rayer had jumped to the conclusion that he had shirked his responsibility as the former head of Penang Tamil Schools Committee.

“The committee was an ad hoc one formed to channel state funds to Tamil schools. It had no other function than this. Its role was purely to give advice to the state government.”

Yesterday, Rayer questioned why Ramasamy did not push for the construction of a Tamil school in Sungai Bakap while serving as the state’s deputy chief minister and chairperson of the Penang Tamil School Committee.

This is after Ramasamy, now United for Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) pro tem chairperson, raised the issue in the Sungai Bakap by-election to persuade voters to vote against Pakatan Harapan.

‘Zahid blackmailing Indian voters’

Meanwhile, Ramasamy blasted Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for announcing the implementation of two projects in Sungai Bakap ahead of the poll on July 6.

“The two projects are a centre for senior citizens and the completion of the Sungai Bakap Tamil School that was abandoned.

“However, if the Harapan-led coalition loses the polls, the projects might not be implemented.

“Zahid never said what will happen to the projects if the Harapan-led coalition loses in the by-election,” said Ramasamy in a separate statement today.

He claimed that it could be taken for granted that if the Harapan-led coalition loses the poll, the projects would not materialise.

“I really wonder how Zahid, the number two man in the government, equates winning in the by-election to the implementation of the two projects,” said Ramasamy, adding that Zahid seems to be blackmailing Indian voters into supporting the coalition.

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