Education Ministry to relook 9MP projects

Saturday May 3, 2008
Education Ministry to relook 9MP projects


PUTRAJAYA: The Education Ministry is reprioritising its projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the projects included the construction of sports and arts schools.

“We have been facing problems with land issues and the rising cost of things in the past two years which are unlikely to be resolved by the end of the 9MP,” he told reporters after chairing the weekly post-Cabinet meeting.

He said this was in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s statement that the Government would not sacrifice “people-centred projects” which had been lined up under the 9MP.

Abdullah said the projects had to be scaled down in terms of allocation or postponed but those related to the well-being of the people would not be sacrificed.

Hishammuddin said 75% of projects under the 9MP were under way.

“But as prices of goods have gone beyond what we planned for, the cost (of the projects) has gone slightly over the RM23.1bil allocated,” he said.

On another matter, Hishammuddin said his deputy Dr Wee Ka Siong visited the SJKC Damansara premises yesterday morning.

“We have to look into several issues such as why it was closed previously and reasons for it to be reopened,” he said.

In February, the Prime Minister had asked Hishammuddin to look into the request from the Chinese community that the school be reopened.

According to a report, the school was officially closed in 2001 and the 1,400 pupils moved to temporary premises at another school in Bandar Utama based on the request of a majority of parents.

Meanwhile, Hishammuddin said there were still complaints of stress and workload issues from teachers.

“My deputy Datuk Razali Ismail has been meeting the 24 teachers’ unions on this. We want them to be able to concentrate on their core business (of teaching),” he said.