KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA hopes that the approval for the setting up of a new Chinese Independent High School in Kuantan can be granted within two weeks, said its president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

He said he had met Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin with other top party leaders, including Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, over Kuala Lumpur Chong Hwa Independent High School’s application to build the school.

“There are a lot of technical issues that need to be resolved so (Dr) Wee has been appointed as the chairman of a committee to fast-track (the approval process),” he said after the party’s central committee meeting here yesterday.

Dr Chua also expressed the MCA’s happiness with the Southern College of Johor’s recent achievement in gaining university college status, adding that the party had been involved in the development of the Chinese-medium college since its inception.

“We are proud because it is a Chinese medium college. This shows that we have never stopped in our efforts to improve Chinese education in the country,” he said, stressing that the MCA would not “sell out” on Chinese education.

On another matter, Dr Chua said workers who had reached the age of 55 should also be allowed to withdraw their EPF despite the extension of the retirement age to 60.

He said the MCA was also against any initiative that would increase costs for the private sector until the impact of the extension in the retirement age and the introduction of a minimum wage could be properly assessed.

“We feel that we should at least let these two new schemes that have been approved to run their full course before a pension scheme or an insurance scheme for the unemployed is introduced,” he said.

Dr Chua said while the party supported the extension of the retirement age, the move should not affect the career progress of youths.

“We also felt that our labour law needs to be re-looked to allow greater flexibility to employers so that after (their employees reach the age of 55), they should be given some discretion to decide whether there should be an extension,” he said.

“I will bring these issues up with the National Economic Council and (MCA ministers) will also raise these issues in the Cabinet,” said Dr Chua, adding that the needs of both employers and employees had to be looked after

The MCA, he said, had also disbursed RM3mil in loans through its 1MCA Microcredit for Youth to 175 people and RM3.8mil through its 1MCA Education Loan to 109 applicants.

-The Star-