re Effingham Tamil School Land

Press statement 
Saturday 2 Feb 2012 

Give Effingham back the 3 acres land which you stole.

Sivarasa tells MIC again.

Today's Nanban newspaper reports that MIC Secretary General Murugesan officiated a ground breaking ceremony yesterday at 10 am at Effingham Tamil School for a new school hall costing at least 1.5 million ringgit. This hall is to be built on the school's existing 3 acres of land.

Nothing was announced in respect of the adjoining 3 acres which was originally allocated by the Bandar Utama developer for the purpose of a primary school but which MIC stole for itself in 1999 abusing its political clout, taking land meant for a school.

I am informed that no application has been made to MBPJ as the local authority for approval of planning permission for the new hall.

So why rush to do a ground breaking when you do not even have planning approval?

Is it simply electioneering?

If so, why is the School Board allowing itself to be used by third parties like the MIC?

I have no issue with building a new hall for Effingham school. Any school will welcome a new hall for itself.

However we must remember Effingham Tamil School with its 450 students and 33 teachers is struggling in cramped conditions. The school needs additional land to improve its facilities and provide a better learning environment for its current and future students.

I am sure we want our Tamil schools to grow and improve and attract more students. To do this Effingham needs the additional 3 acres much more than the MIC.By building the new hall on the current school land, the students will lose even their limited 75 m running track for a long period.

Where do they do their sports co-curricular activities?

Why deprive and punish the students even more after taking away the school field?

MIC only announced its plans to build a so-called hostel and field on the 3 acres they grabbed from the school only after it realized that public pressure had made impossible its original plans to build its headquarters there.

The Pakatan Rakyat Selangor state government has also asked MIC to return the 3 acre land following which the premium paid of one plus million will be refunded. The State government has also said that if MIC is still keen to build a hostel, it will consider allocating a separate piece of land for that at a different location.

The best solution for Effingham Tamil School is to have back its additional 3 acres so that it can have sufficient land for its new hall and also all the additional physical space and facilities needed. 

I repeat again to the MIC leaders: do the right thing and return the stolen land.

Just building a new school hall cannot correct this grave injustice to Effingham Tamil school. 

by Sivarasa Rasiah
Member of Parliament for Subang,
Member of Central Leadership Council and Political Bureau, Parti Keadilan Rakyat.