Press Digest - Delay in disbursement for schools being addressed by govt

PETALING JAYA: Conforming secondary schools (SMK) have yet to receive their 2016 allocations despite an almost one-year wait, Chinese press highlighted today.
"National-type Chinese primary schools (SJKCs) have received their 2016 allocations but we (SMK) are still waiting patiently for ours," said Malaysia Conforming Secondary Schools Development Council secretary Goh Boon Poh.
Speaking at a press conference after the council's annual general meeting (AGM) in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Goh urged the government to quickly disburse the much-awaited allocations, which topped the agenda of the AGM.
Goh said only after the allocations have been disbursed can these schools improve their infrastructure and learning environment.
"No money no talk (of improving school facilities). We are not setting any deadline but are hoping that the government would give out the allocations to SMK as soon as possible," he said in stressing the need for the government to systemically give out funds to conforming schools for repairs and maintenance.
Meanwhile, MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai confirmed to Sin Chew Daily on Saturday that the party has taken up the matter and that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak had agreed to issue a directive for the disbursement of allocations to SMK.
He believed these schools would not have to wait for much longer for their allocations.
However, he said it would not be announced how much these schools would be given.
"We are taking care of the matter, we have discussed with the prime minister over the amount, but it (the amount) will not be publicised," he said.
Earlier at the AGM, the council's members were told that all these years, conforming schools had to raise any shortfall in funds for school maintenance from the Chinese community but the community has the impression that SMK are government schools and should be fully funded by the government.