Makeshift School

On Friday, the Star newspaper (p N33) reported that for more than eight years, pupils of SJK(T) Ladang Batu Kawan have been studying in the houses of four estate clerks and two metal cabins. These makeshift classrooms serve as a “school” for 125 students. And just a week earlier, they had a visitor – in the form of a 1.5 meter-long snake. B Matharasi, a homemaker who has five of her children studying there, thought it was a cobra.

This school enjoys fully-aided status since September 2008 and yet conditions remain lamentably deplorable.

As Anwar Ibrahim had pointed out, the RM5 billion proposed for the Warisan Merdeka project could go for the construction of at least 1,667 more schools, at a cost of RM3 million each (Webpage http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-says-big-projects-sign-of-bns-imminent-fall1/). Which priority is more important? Somebody's ego or young Malaysians' needs?

Rangers moved three points clear of opponents Celtic at the top of the SPL after winning the season's first Old Firm derby – with a remarkable 3-1 score. It was Celtic who went in front when Gary Hooper slammed home (45+1), but Glenn Loovens's own goal (49) leveled matters straight after the break. Then, ex-Celtic player Kenny Miller volleyed Rangers ahead (55) and soon after, followed this up with a controversial penalty (67).

And Liverpool finally earned a win when they played against Blackburn with a 2-1 victory. Sotirios Kyrgiakos gave the Reds the lead on 48 minutes when he powered in a header from Steven Gerrard's corner. Blackburn hit back when El-Hadji Diouf's shot was deflected in by Liverpool's Jamie Carragher (50) after the latter's team-mate Paul Konchesky cleared. Fernando Torres then saved Carragher's blushes three minutes later when he side-footed in a Joe Cole cross but Liverpool stay in the EPL's bottom three.