Press statement by Teresa Kok, MP for Seputeh and DAP National Organising Secretary in Shah Alam on 27 September 2011
Najib should not claim credit for the private-initiated “Community Chest” education fund while he continues to marginalise vernacular and mission schools
Prime Minister Najib Razak should not have boasted that he would channel at least RM100 million a year to vernacular and mission schools yesterday when launching the “Community Chest” fund run by a consortium of tycoons. He has no right to boast because the funds are from the private sector and he should not mislead the public into thinking that the allocation was provided by the Government or Barisan Nasional. (Source: RM100m in annual gambling profits for education, says Najib http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/rm100m-in-annual-gambling-profits-for-education-says-najib/ )
I also regret that Najib announced that the funds will be disbursed based on how closely the schools are associated to Barisan Nasional. In his own words, Najib said, “The funds will be distributed in close consultation with the government… parties like MCA, Gerakan and MIC as well as NGOs… to ensure that it will be distributed fairly.”
The message he is sending appears to be, “If you support MCA, Gerakan, MIC and BN-affiliated NGOs, I will reward your school with education funds” which is much the same message as his infamous “You help me, I help you,” speech made during the Sibu by-election.
Furthermore, if this “Community Chest” is indeed private funding and free from any form of political patronage, the disbursement of its funds should be freely determined by its trustees, and not dictated by Najib or Barisan Nasional.
The public are well aware that the Government has been marginalizing vernacular and mission schools for so many years by denying them state funds, forcing them to constantly raise funds on their own, while generously providing state funds to national-type schools.
To illustrate, Government statistics show that the Government provided national-type school students with RM1,106 each, whereas Chinese national-type primary school students received only RM146 each for the period 1991 – 2005.
The children who attend vernacular and mission schools are Malaysians too and their parents not taxpayers too. Thus, the disparity in treatment against students who attend vernacular schools is grossly unjustifiable.
I urge Najib to live up to his promise of “Rakyat Didahulukan” by putting a stop the Government’s policy of unfair treatment to vernacular and mission schools.
I also urge the private funders who have contributed to the “Community Chest” to maintain autonomy over the funds and not align themselves to Barisan Nasional or any political party when disbursing the funds. Education is a public good which should transcend partisan politics. Malaysian children deserve better than that.
Teresa Kok
RM100m in annual gambling profits for education, says Najib
By Shannon TeohSeptember 26, 2011
Najib yesterday delivered RM15 million to Chinese schools in Penang. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — At least RM100 million a year from gambling profits will be channelled into vernacular and mission schools in “close consultation” with Barisan Nasional (BN) parties, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
The prime minister said this when launching the “Community Chest” fund run by a consortium of tycoons that paid over RM2 billion for billionaire T. Ananda Krishnan’s Pan Malaysian Pools Sdn Bhd (PMP) in July.
The Putrajaya-backed education fund spearheaded by Tan Sri Lim Kok Tay of gambling giant Genting Berhad, pumped an initial RM26 million to 61 mainly vernacular schools today and pledged to channel a minimum of RM100 million annually beginning next year.
“The funds will be distributed in close consultation with the government… parties like MCA, Gerakan and MIC as well as NGOs… to ensure that it will be distributed fairly,” Najib said at SJK (C) Confucian this evening.
The government’s cap on the number of state-funded vernacular schools has long been a source of dissatisfaction from the Chinese and Indian community.
But the new initiative, which will be exempted from tax, comes as the Chinese continue to shun national schools in favour of Chinese-language primary schools despite the lack of funding.
While Malays enjoy extensive state support for education including financial grants, scholarships and enrolment quotas in public universities, Chinese and Indian schools struggle each year to make ends meet.
Najib, who is expected to call a general election within the year, has been tasked with reversing losses that denied BN its customary two-thirds majority of Parliament and five state governments.
The Singapore Straits Times reported in August that financial executives involved in the deal believe it could improve BN’s standing among Chinese and Indians who swung away from the ruling coalition in the landmark 2008 general election.
The prime minister added today that the “creative solution” would complement the government’s efforts to ensure access to quality education for all.
“We cannot meet all the needs of the community,” he said, but added that it was important that “new models” are initiated to “achieve what the government has targeted.”
The fund, which means “powering education” in English, is modelled after Hong Kong’s Community Chest, a non-profit organisation that funds community projects.
The RM26 million handed out today comes after Najib gave RM1 million each to 15 Chinese schools in Penang yesterday.
Besides chairman Lim, others on the board of trustees are Genting deputy chairman Tun Hanif Omar, Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan of the Hong Leong group, Lion Group boss Tan Sri William Cheng and Westports’ Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam.
Genting owns half of Jana Pendidikan Malaysia, the consortium that bought PMP in July
Dear PM, what do you think the mission schools are? Fodder for your election gimmicks? What make you think that we should accept contributions that come from gambling? Mission schools are Christian schools. Please keep your money.
one mission school in penang is so poor that it receives hand down chairs and tables from a kebangsaan school. when classrooms are not enough students have to double up science lab as classroom. imagine the students have to do their exams in a science lab, the tables and chairs are not suitable for long hours of sitting. this is after 54 years of independence and aiming to be a so called developed country?? we must have jokers, clowns and ningkompoot managing our resources.
Its really misleading to think the money from the Fund is coming from Government . Its private money from the Chinese Community.
The Fund should not be associated with any political party.
The Government should not discriminate against Indians or Chinese Schools in allocation of public funds as its Taxpayers money.
When YB LGE gave out RM100 to the poor in Penang, they caused a big ruckus, gambling money is wang haram, but now also use gambling money to fund schools, not wang haram? Protest!!! Will the BN guys ask the muslims to pull out from these schools???