The Star: March 6, 2008
PETALING JAYA: The Selangor state government has pledged RM100,000 for the refurbishment of the seven-decade-old SJK (C) Chen Moh.
A total of RM3.5mil is needed to renovate and build new blocks for the school which was still short of RM400,000.
“We appreciate the state government’s contribution to help us provide a better learning environment for our students,” school headmistress Tan Phaik Ngin said.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo announced the contribution yesterday before perfor- ming the school’s ground-breaking ceremony for its new building.
He said that strong human capital and quality education would enable Selangor to compete with the rest of the world including Singapore.
Also present was Petaling Jaya Selatan incumbent MP Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai, Bukit Gasing incumbent state assemblyman Datuk Dr Lim Thuang Seng, Barisan’s Taman Medan state seat candidate Munaliza Hamzah and Petaling Jaya City Council mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.
Among the school officials present were fund-raising committee chairman Ong Keng Swee and school board chairman Puan Sri Hoong May Kuen.
Dr Khir also commended IOI Corp Bhd executive chairman Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng for contributing RM250,000 to the school’s building fund.
“He and I used to sell ice creams when we were young. He impresses me.
“He was an ice cream seller and is now one of Malaysia’s richest. And yet, he has not forgotten to contribute back to society,” said Dr Khir.
Dr Khir also took a pot shot at former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, for putting non-Chinese educated administrators in Chinese schools when he was the Education Minister.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who later became the Education Minister reverted the decision.