Four parents who staged a sit-in at the Education Ministry premises in Jalan Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, to protest the relocation of SRJK (C) Damansara were arrested today for illegal assembly.

The four were placed under arrest at the Brickfields police station at about 1pm, an officer at the station said.

Human rights group Suaram informed malayskini that the four parents are Old Boys' Association representative Tommy Chin (picture, right), Wong Siong, Wong Yew Kong and another parent whose name is yet to be known.

DAP publicity secretary Ronnie Liu said that the parents staged a sit-in for an hour from noon.

The parents had arrived to meet officials to discuss the latest development of the school relocation issue.

"Tommy Chin was merely visiting the Education Ministry. He was not even involved in the sit-in," said Liu.

Baseless arrest

"The arrests are uncalled for. The sit-in has in no way involved any commotion nor did they obstruct the free flow of traffic," he added.

Liu reported that ministry officials met with the parents, some of whom might have irked some people because one was carrying a box with the label " Mogok lapar (hunger strike)" which was handed to them by a passer-by.

The parents had also declared that they would not be eating or drinking anything during the sit-in, said Liu, who is also adviser to the Action Committee to Preserve Old School (SOS).

Three DAP members of parliament Teresa Kok (Seputeh), Tan Kok Wai (Cheras) and Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang) are presently at the Brickfields police station to arrange bail for the release of the four arrested, Liu reported.

The "tug-of-war" between the Education Ministry and parents regarding the relocation of the old school to SRJK Puay Chai (II) in Bandar Utama has been going on for more than a month.

The students were directed to move to the new school early this year when the new school term started. The ministry sealed the school, citing the environment as not conducive due to over congestion and pollution from the Sprint highway nearby.

As of today, the majority of 1,400 students have moved but some 60 pupils have remained behind and are adamant to stay on at the 70-year-old school

Recently, the Education Ministry announced that the new SRJK (C) Damansara school in Tropicana would be completed within eight months with a Finance Ministry allocation of about RM9 million.

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