Press Digest - Funds for SJKC's already given to Education Ministry, says Johari

PETALING JAYA: Second Finance Minister Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani said the Finance Ministry has already allocated funds to the Education Ministry based on the 2016 Budget and reminded the latter to disburse to national-type Chinese schools (SJKC) within this year what was promised in the budget.
Johari told Sin Chew Daily this when asked to comment on reports that SJKCs have yet to receive their RM50 million education allocation as promised.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid was reported to have said on Tuesday that SJKCs would not be getting RM50 million due to a shortage of funds and advised them to "take what is available".
SJKCs are worried that agreeing to Mahdzir's proposal would set a negative precedent.
According to Sin Chew's report today, it is understood that SJKTs (Tamil schools) and mission schools have agreed to a smaller allocation – RM16.5 million for each type of schools.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon told the daily that Mahdzir is talking to the Finance Ministry and the Education Ministry secretary-general has also written to the Finance Ministry requesting for a "top-up".
He said the prime minister, who announced a special allocation of RM500 million for school maintenance and development in his 2016 Budget speech, did not specifically say that RM50 million would be given to SJKCs but MCA's stand is that SJKCs should be given this amount.
Chong, who is MCA Youth chief, said the party insists that SJKCs should not accept anything less.
"MCA has been discussing the matter since August. Our stand is that we will not accept (what is available) until we get RM50 million (for SJKCs)."
On SJKTs and mission schools accepting a smaller allocation, Chong said these schools also agreed to the proposal to cut the allocation from RM50 million to RM20 million last year but MCA stood firm for SJKCs.
In the end all three – SJKCs, SJKTs and mission schools – received RM50 million, he pointed out.
Asked if MCA is confident of getting RM50 million for SJKCs this time around, Chong said MCA is doing its best.