Area surrounding Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple needs to be looked into

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FIRST impression counts, and the famous Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple committee is duly and understandably worried ahead of Visit Perak Year 2012.

The poorly maintained surroundings near its entrance is covered by undergrowth and frequent flooding in the area has put off many visitors.

Yik Xin Kung temple secretary Chang Seow Leong said the situation was further compounded by stray dogs that roamed the area.

“I hope MCA can convey this to the local authority,” Chang said during a dialogue chaired by party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in Ipoh recently.

In a mess: Overgrown trees are overshadowing the Sam Poh Tong Temple.

In an immediate response, Dr Chua said state executive councillor Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, who was also present at the dialogue, would follow up on the matter.

Meanwhile, Taman Gunung View resident Teh Kok Chai, 55, urged MCA to look into the road-building project in Persiaran Wira Jaya Timur 23.

“The project has been delayed for eight years,” he said, lamenting that he had raised the problem to former Perak MCA chairman Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan but Ong had replied that it did not come under him and he would not want to interfere.

“We were notified that an allocation of RM120,000 had been approved for the project, but we do not know what happened after that,” Teh said.

Elaborating on the problem, he said the road led to a dead end, resulting in residents having to use another road which was far away from the housing estate.

“The proposed road project will solve our problems,” he added.

On education, Gunung Rapat Village Development and Security Committee secretary Zhuang Rui Ji has called on MCA to push for the use of English to teach Mathematics and Science in secondary schools.

To that, Dr Chua replied: “MCA feels parents should be given a chance to decide on the medium of instruction for the two subjects in secondary school.”

However, he added, the Government had to consider the situation in rural areas which might not have adequate resources to teach the subjects in English.