Lim questions why he needs permission from ministry to enter Penang schools

GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants to know why he has to apply for permission from the Education Ministry to enter schools in Penang.
He questioned the logic behind such a requirement and asked if he needed approval to enter hospitals, fire stations, and police stations too.
He pointed out that he is the duly elected Chief Minister of Penang and the only Chinese Chief Minister in Malaysia.
"This sets a dangerous precedent and politicises education," he said in a press conference today.
His ire comes after a Sept 6 Penang Education Department letter did not give him permission to visit SJK(C) Sungai Lembu after his office made an application to do so on Sept 5.
The letter which was distributed to reporters, stated that any Chief Minister or Mentri Besar wanting to visit schools should inform the Education Minister to obtain approval.
He applied to visit the school after he was not allowed to enter during a working visit of Sungai Lembu on Aug 26 and was told to make an application.
Lim also said the duties of the Education Minister was not to give allowance or bar people from entering schools, especially if the visit was to disburse allocations.
He pointed out previous attempts at visiting schools to disburse funds from his government were successful and questioned the need to make an application now.
He challenged the Education Ministry to ensure there were sufficient funds for Chinese schools to fulfil their development requirements since he was not welcomed.
"If they cannot do so then why stop us from entering to provide remedial funding?
"This is a travesty of democratic principles where an elected Chief Minister cannot enter Chinese schools.
I am the only Chinese Chief Minister (in the country) but cannot enter a Chinese school in my own state," he said.
Attempts by reporters to contact Penang Education Department director Shaari Osman was not successful at the time of writing.