Selangor state exco Xavier Jayakumar has urged MIC not to interfere with the relocation of SJK(T) Midlands "in the best interest of the school children."

"We don't want any party to bring political agenda into an issue that we're in the midst of solving," he said.

He was responding to Shah Alam MIC Youth leader M Saravanan over his concern about the Tamil school's relocation to Section 7 in an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini yesterday at his office in Shah Alam.

He also questioned why MIC was trying to create a fuss over the relocation when the Selangor government is providing an equal amount of land for the construction of the school.

NONE When asked about the real story behind the Tamil school, he said that the school was part of Midlands Estate. The estate was bought by PKNS in the 1980s.

"No land allocation was made in the master plan. Four acres of land were given. Even when Barisan Nasional developed I-City, they did not foresee the school. This should not have happened," said Xavier.

He said that I-City had offered to give six acres of land across the highway to build the school but the Parent Teachers Association had opposed it.

"It would have been ideal but there would not be a direct route to the school," he said, adding that transportation fees was a cause of concern for the parents.

The former Midlands estate residents have since been relocated to Section 7.

As for current plans in Section 7 Shah Alam, Xavier said that the state government would upgrade the school by building two blocks on a four-acre plot of land.

The school would be "ultra modern" complete with computer laboratories and air conditioning.

Currently the school is occupying 1.4 to 1.5 acres of land.

"We are not compromising on anything. The children's interests have been taken into consideration," stressed the exco.

No adverse feedback

Asked about the feedback from residents, Xavier said that the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) had informed him that there was no adverse feedback.

He also took the opportunity to assure residents that they would not lose their recreation park, which will be provided.

Xavier was also asked why only four acres were allocated when there are rules stating that it should be six acres.

He responded by saying that the six acres clause was only meant to be a guideline. The four acres allocated, he added, was ample enough for a vernacular school.

"We'll have to work around what we have," he said.

Asked on possible opposition to the relocation as what happened to the temple relocation in Section 23, he said: "If there are people opposing, the public must ask themselves: UMNO opposed the temple relocation, now MIC is instigating. What's their objective?"

"These are the people advocating 1Malaysia and yet why are they instigating (this)? Why can't you live and let live?" he asked.

Xavier also hit out at MIC over their management of Tamil schools.

"How much land had they given to the Tamil school in Tumbok estate? Only 1.29 acres. In Damansara, (only) three acres. MIC should set a standard by giving six acres of land to the school in Tumbok estate," he said.

He also said that the state government would stick to its decision to relocate the school to Section 7 Shah Alam, which was also echoed by Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, Khalid hit out at the previous state administration under BN for their misjudgement.

"The decision made by the previous government is their weakness that not only kept estate workers aside but also burdened the developers," he said in a press statement.