Land not given to PAFA

Monday, 20 February 2012 10:46

The latest twist in the land issue involving SJK (T) Gunung Rapat and the Perak Football Association (PAFA) is that the plot of land, which both are vying for, has not been given to either parties.

Special adviser to the Mentri Besar, Datuk S. Veerasingam clarified the matter by saying that the 2.4ha land still belonged to the state government.

“There is no issue of it being stolen from the school. The application by the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is still pending since the time it was submitted last May.

“Their case has not yet been brought up in the state executive council meeting, which reserves the authority to approve the matter, pending a complete report by related government departments,” he told reporters after meeting with the school authorities and the PTA last Friday.

Veerasingam said it was during the waiting period that PAFA applied for land detailing its plan to build a football institution for youths in the area.

“Although there was no feedback or approval given, certain parties have used this reason to claim that the land was given to PAFA, which is untrue,” he said, referring to state DAP deputy chief V. Sivakumar’s claim that Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim had cheated the Indian community by giving away the land, initially promised to the school last year, to PAFA.

During the meeting, Veerasingam said the state placed great emphasis on the education needs of the people, adding that he did not think the state executive council would have any problems in approving the school’s application for the land.

“Even the Mentri Besar has expressed his agreement to give the land to the school and so we need to wait for the proper procedures to be completed,” he said.

Sungai Rapat assemblyman Datuk Hamidah Osman, who was also present, assured the PTA and the school authorities that she would speed up the application process and would raise the matter at the state executive council meeting as soon as possible.

“I see no grounds for any state executive councillor to object to the matter, which is why I am confident the land will be given to the school.

“However, I have no power on my own to announce that the land has been approved as the power lies with the state executive council,” said Hamidah, adding that the application process could take up to two months to complete.

PTA chairman M. Periasamy said although he was happy that the state had discussed the issue with them, the school’s teachers, pupils and their parents would be relieved to receive the official letter of approval.

“We have been given far too many promises over the last seven years, which is why we want to have something concrete, written in black and white, to ensure that the issue is resolved once and for all,” he said.

From TheStar