SJK Ladang Escot finally got piped water supply because of Hulu Selangor by election

 (11th May 2010)

 A Bernama report dated  May 4 said that after more than 50 years depending on spring water, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil ( SJK) Tamil Ladang Escot in Hulu Selangor finally received piped water supply.

The report further said:-

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor executive chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail said the company swung into action upon learning about the school’s predicament during the just-concluded Hulu Selangor by-election.

“This is to reciprocate the support given by the people who contributed to Barisan Nasional’s win in the by-election. As a government-linked company, we will support the Government’s aspirations,” he told reporters after checking on the pipe-laying work to supply water to the school yesterday.

He added that the job entailed a 1.5km pipeline with the overall cost of the project totalling RM600,000.

It was certainly much welcome news which the school had been waiting for.

In fact, this was the second good news for the school as it was during the campaigning period of the Hulu Selangor by election that the school had finally obtained the Tenaga Nasional electricity supply.

Nevertheless, there are two questions worth pondering.

Firstly, SJK Ladang Escot is not located in some remote interior part of the country, yet why did it take so long for piped water and Tenaga National electricity supplied to it?

Secondly, if it was not for the Hulu Selangor by election where the Barisan Nasional was desperate to win the Indian votes, would the Barisan Nasional solve the long standing plight faced by the school?

There is no doubt at all that it is due to the political awakening of the Indian community  and the significant impact  the Indian votes can play in deciding the by election and the coming general outcome that the Barisan Nasional government has begun to pay serious attention to some of their problems.

So SJK Ladng Escot got the by election to thank for getting the piped water and electricity supply.

It was the power of their votes, which forced the Barisan Nasional government to solve the school's problems.

Just in case  the Barisan Nasional or the new Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan think that they have done enough for SJK Ladang Escot, let me remind them of the long standing land problem faced by the school.

The school was once asked to vacate its premises by the previous owner and the present owner, FG Manufacturing, had also in 2006 told the school to do the same.

The BN government must either allocate an alternative place for the school or acquire the present piece of land so as to solve the land issue once and for all.

M. Kula Segaran
012-5034346