Kanan says the SJK (T) Ladang Rini hall can be used by the community.
A TAMIL school in Johor has received a boost from the state government for the construction of its multi-purpose hall.
The RM200,000 allocation will allow SJK (T) Ladang Rini to complete work that had been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and other issues.
The school’s board of governors chairman Datuk S. Kanan said he was grateful to Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi for the contribution that would help expedite work on the hall.
“Construction started in 2018 after receiving an allocation of RM500,000 from then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” he said.
“It was supposed to be completed in 2021 but had to be postponed due to the pandemic and insufficient funds.”
Work only resumed last year, Kanan told StarMetro when met after the school’s charity dinner held at Dewan Serbaguna Taman Universiti in Skudai.
He said that some RM1.5mil had been spent on the construction, which is currently in its fourth and final stage.
“We only need to finish some minor works such as installing the irrigation and sewerage system.
“We need about RM700,000 to complete the final part, which we expect to be completed by the end of this year.”
Kanan said the school had also managed to raise about RM200,000 from the charity dinner, while he hoped to receive RM100,000 from Iskandar Puteri MP Liew Chin Tong after this possibility was raised by the Mentri Besar.
“With the allocation from the state government and MP, along with the funds we have raised in the charity event, we are getting closer to our goal of seeing this hall completed.
“It will be the largest hall in a Tamil school in Johor and can accommodate between 700 and 900 people,” he said, adding that the complex could also be used by the surrounding community.
Earlier in his speech, Onn Hafiz announced the RM200,000 allocation and said he would talk to Liew to contribute at least RM100,000 to assist the school.
