Lim Guan Eng (centre) witnesses the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Hunza Realty Sdn Bhd to build a new school building in Lilitan Sungai Ara, March 14, 2018. ― Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

GEORGE TOWN, March 14 ― After 20 years, SJK (C) Aik Hua finally gets a new building in a new location in Sungai Ara, relocating out from George Town.

The school management board today signed a memorandum of understanding with Hunza Realty Sdn Bhd to build a new school building in Lilitan Sungai Ara.

The school board chairman Datuk Gary Choot said intakes to the school has been dwindling over the years due to its location in George Town.

“We didn’t want to close the school so we have been planning for the school to be relocated and have faced a lot of problems in doing so over the years,” he said before the signing ceremony at Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s office today.

He thanked the state government and Hunza for fulfilling the school’s hope for a new place.

Earlier, Lim said Hunza will be contributing RM10.7 million towards the cost and expenses of the school’s construction in Sungai Ara.

“The RM10.7 million will be valued by government-appointed assessors,” he said.

He said the estimated total cost of the new school project is RM22 million and the school will bear the remaining costs and expenses.

The project is targeted to start in 2019 and it will complete in approximately 18 months.

The contribution made by Hunza was one of the conditions for its Penang International Commercial City (PICC) project in Bayan Baru.