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| Sunday February 25 Police escort Damansara school walkathon participants Zakiah Koya 4:16pm, Sun: Instead of arresting participants of the second Save Our School walkathon, the police today escorted a contingent of 50 walkers along the 15km route from Shah Alam to Petaling Jaya. The contingent, originating from Kapar and Klang, was led by DAP Selangor’s Wong Ann Peng to protest against the closure of the controversial SRJK (C) Damansara school. Last Sunday, a similar walkathon from Kuala Lumpur city to Petaling Jaya resulted in 46 participants being arrested. They were, however, all released on police bail. Meanwhile, a group of riot police ordered activists to stop giving speeches to a crowd of 500 people who have gathered at a temple beside the old school while waiting for the walkathon participants to arrive. Members from the Petaling Jaya Section 17 police station told Save Our School action committee’s advisor Ronnie Liu to halt the speeches by 1pm. The speeches lamenting the decision to close down the primary school began at 10am, drawing an increasing crowd. Earlier in the morning, about three busloads of backers of the closed school from Selangor’s Sabak Bernam and Tanjung Malim came to show support. Liu agreed to end the speeches but the crowd was adamant to stay put as they waited for the contingent of walkathon participants to show up. The walkers arrived at about 1.30pm to the cheers of the crowd. Wong thanked the police for escorting them and ensuring their safety. Petition Last month, students of the Damansara school were directed by the Education Ministry to temporarily transfer to SRJK (C) Puay Chai (II) - a few kilometres away - while awaiting the completion of a new school in Tropicana. The authorities have been unable to provide clear explanation as to what would happen to the 70-year-old school and its abandoned site. The majority of the students have since moved to Puay Chai (II) but 67 have stayed put, and are continuing their classes at a neighbourhood temple. In a related development this morning, 20 residents of the Damansara New Village where the old school was located, went to the 50th MCA anniversary celebration to obtain signatures to a petition in support of the school. MCA, a component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, has supported the government’s decision to shut down the school. The residents said that they managed to get quite a number of signatures including that of former party leader and minister Lee Kim Sai. |