PUTRAJAYA, June 3 — The Education Ministry today handed over the letter of intent to the contractors appointed to construct the annexe buildings of five national-type Tamil schools (SJKT) throughout the country.
Deputy Education Minister P.Kamalanathan (pic) said the five schools were SJKT Ladang Sungai Reyla (Perak), SJKT Ladang Brauston (Selangor), Ladang Lanchang (Pahang), Ladang Sagga (Negeri Sembilan) and Ladang Kelan in Johor.
The five schools were part of a project involving 39 Tamil schools which were planned in 2012 but delayed due to several reasons including technical issues.
“The original estimated cost for constructing the annexe buildings in the five schools was RM8 million but this has now increased to RM29 million upon agreement by the contractor and the ministry,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after witnessing the handing-over of the letter of intent to five contractors appointed for the projects here today.
Also present was senior deputy divisional secretary, Education Development Division, Ministry of Education, Abdul Aziz Ashaari.
Meanwhile, discussions between contractors and the ministry were still being held concerning three other Tamil schools – SJKT Kuala Terla (Pahang), SJKT Rumbia (Melaka) and SJKT Taman Desa Pinji (Perak).
“The delay over the projects for the three schools was due to the fact that the contractors did not agree on the cost fixed before this, so a new costing had to be presented to the Procurement Board and the Finance Ministry, and we are now awaiting the decision,” he said, adding that the project also involves 10 other SJKT throughout the country.
Commenting on the case of a schoolgirl being bullied by a group of female students on April 25 in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Kamalanathan said the ministry was still waiting for the full report from the police and the state education department.
— BERNAMA
