Media: Nanyang Siang Pau
Date: 26th March 2009
SRJK LAI MENG TO MOVE IN THREE YEARS
New venue is pending approval by Ministry of Education
SRJK Lai Meng at Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpurwill be moving to Bukit Jalil within two to three years, according to sources obtained by Nanyang Siang Pau, adding that the new venue is pending approval by the Ministry of Education.
Magna Prima bought SRJK Lai Meng’s land situated at the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur at RM148.15 million, in exchange of a piece of 5.5 acres land at Bukit Jalil, which double the size of the present land.
Mr Lim Ching Choy, the Chief Executive Officer of Magna Prima refused to reveal the exact location of the new venue for SRJK Lai Meng.
Magna Prima bought SRJK Lai Meng land of 10,587.5 sq ft for RM148.15 million and proposed to invest further RM 1.3 billion in constructing an integrated residence cum commercial project on the land.
Meanwhile, Mr Wong Mao Tong, the chairman of Board of Directors of SRJK Lai Meng, said three bodies of the school has agreed to the project and hopes to realisise it within two to three years.
He said the venue of the new SRJK is situated at Chinese populated area. The three bodies of SRJK Lai Meng had inspected the land and were happy with it.
He said the school had to move due to traffic congestion during class and dismissal hours at Jalan Ampang. Furthermore, the school is incapable of catering for the increase of students year after year.
The land where SRJK Lai Meng is situated belongs to Lai Meng Sdn Bhd and is being leased to SRJK Lai Meng.
According to Mr Wong, Lai Meng Sdn Bhd had signed a contract with the developer, where the developer would be involved in buying a piece of new land to build the school and its construction plan. Board of Directors of SRJK Lai Meng would be responsible to bear the construction costs. But, without the approval of moving the school by the Ministry of Education, the school can not move.
“We expect the construction costs of the school would reach RM20 million. At present, the school has morning and afternoon sessions. After moving to the new school, it would only have one session, and it will be better environment to the students. ”
Mr Wong also said the three bodies of SRJK is keeping low profile on their moving plan, because the developer has not come up with its construction plan. Also, the Ministry of Education has not approved the moving plan of SRJK Lai Meng.
“Many parents are still unaware of our moving plan. We shall made official announcement when the time is right,” said Mr Wong.
City folk Chan Boon Chu: Price of the school land should be reasonable.
I am working near Ampang. I help my friend to send his children to SRJK Lai Meng. My own children had finished primary education. I read about SRJK Lai Meng moving from the newspaper yesterday. Earlier, I do not know about this.
I feel it is good for the school to move, as it would help to ease traffic congestion at the area. As the school land is at the Golden Triangle, the developer should offer good price.
Parent Mr Lim Kok Loon: Noise affects the students
I have two children at standard 5 & 6 of SRJK Lai Meng. They will not be affected by the moving of the school.
The school should move because it is situated at traffic congestion area.
Furthermore, as the school is near the main road, air and noise pollution would affect the students. It is also not convenient for parents from Ampang and Wangsa Maju to send their children to SRJK Lai Meng.
Sri Petaling Resident Chairman Chan Tai Tung: Population at Sri Petaling grows in tandem with its development. Therefore, there is an urgent need of more Chinese primary schools.
But, if SRJK Lai Meng moves, it is equivalent to sacrifice education development economy, which has adverse effect to the Chinese education.
Kinrara Section 6 Residents Association Chairman Lee Meng Poh:
Students from Puchong and Kinrara to benefit
Chinese primary schools around Puchong and Kinrara areas are overflow with students. Therefore, it is good news for residents nearby if SRJK Lai Meng moves to Bukit Jalil.
It would not only benefit students from Puchong and Kinrara areas, students from Serdang could also consider to study there.
Parents suggest schools should be moved away from city centre so as to ease traffic jam.
Many parents are unaware of SRJK Lai Meng plans to move. But, they believed that it is a good idea to move schools away from city centre, as it would help to ease traffic jam.
SRJK Lai Meng was built about 80 years ago. It had 1,600 students at present, with 20% were Malays, Indian and overseas students from South Korea, Russia, Taiwan and India.
As SRJK Lai Meng is accesible from Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Tun Ismail and Jalan Bukit Bintang; therefore whenever class starts and dismiss, traffic jam shall build up at the area.
Parents believed that schools should move to areas like Setapak, Wangsa Maju or Ampang, as these areas are not only populous, Chinese primary schools at these areas are overflow with students. Hence, students are sending to as far as SRJK Lai Meng.
“SRJK Lai Meng is near the main road, smoke and noise pollution will affect the health of the students. So it is a good idea to move the school away from the city centre. ”
Backgrounder of SRJK Lai Meng
School grade: A
Established: 1929
No. of students: About 1,600
Facilities: 26 classrooms (20 primary school classrooms & 6 kindergarten classroom )
School History
1929 - Established, old classrooms were at upstairs of Kampong Baru No. 2 & No. 4. There were 3 classrooms then, with 100 students. Later it was reduced to 60 students.
1942 - Closed because of Second World War. It was reopened in October 1945.
19511- As the number of students increased tremendously. The school was unable to accommodate the students. So, Mr Lee Seng Fong suggested building new school. And with the support of the business community and community at large, a School Project Fund was established. The Project Committee bought a piece of land of about 2 acres at 136 bungalowsand renovated it into classrooms.
1956 – Students were divided into morning and afternoon session in order to cope with the increase of the number of students. Board of Directors decided to build 8 more classes and was completed the following year.
1958 – The school was transformed into a standard Chinese primary school, with about one thousand students.
1961 – The school transformed into Government’s Education System
with standardized salary system. Later, it was defined as Extra Large based on the number of students. Later, affected by the education
System and environment, the school was scalded down from Extra Large to Large.
May,1969 – Commotions erupted at the area, the school was close for one month.
June 15, 1969 - Temporary classes were conducted at afternoon classes borrowed from ChungHuaGirlSchool and PuayChaiSchool .
Mid 1970 - Senior primary classes moved back to old school classrooms, while Lower primary were conducted at afternoon class borrowed from Chou Li Primary School.
1972 – New classrooms were built.
1973 – Students increased gradually. As classrooms are limited, many students were turn away each year. Classrooms were improved gradually so as to provide a better study environment to the student.
Caption: Mr Wong Mao Tong, the chairman of Board of Directors of SRJK Lai Meng confirmed that the school will move within next two or three year.
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