Government should intervene to save heritage school

The Government should intervene into the non-extension of the Convent Bukit Nanas lease matter and grant an extension of the lease for the school as this school is an historical school for women in Kuala Lumpur established since 1899.

This school has provided education for tens of thousands of Malaysian women and many eminent personalities have passed through its corridors.

This school, in fact, more than qualifies to be listed as a National heritage under the National heritage Act 2005. From a planning perspective the school is zoned under the Kl City Plan 2020 within the development plan under the Federal Territory Planning Act 1982 as a public facility and 1982 and as heritage zone.

Such an historical school not only should be listed within the Heritage in the KL City Plan 2020, but hopefully will also be listed as a National heritage under the National Heritage Act 2005.

The protection of urban schools and public facilities is critical to justify the high development plot ratios being given in the city in order to improve the development of a strong residential community within the City Centre which is necessary to support the city’s economic activities, and for sustainable development.

Sadly, many city schools are often the target of “predatory vultures” who view this as a cheap source of land for high intensity development leading to many such lands being developed with no good supporting infrastructure for education in the nearby vicinity.

I hope the Government through the Cabinet will immediately intervene and extend the lease for Convent Bukit Nanas. It has now become popular for all sides of the political divide to “champion” women’s rights in society as it creates good voter optics.

However it remains to be seen how many leaders will actually rise to the occasion where it matters most and protect Convent Bukit Nanas and get the lease extended for an institution that that has protected and enhanced women’s basic rights to education for more than 120 years. In other words, the right for a woman to be educated in a safe environment from an institution par excellence.

See: Fernandez, D. (2021, April 19). 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥. Facebook DBKL Watch.