Church land case postponed
KUANTAN: The Sept 5 hearing to acquire 0.7ha or 56% of total land area belonging to St Thomas Church by the state government has been "postponed indefinitely".
"A letter from the Land Office informing the church of the postponement has been issued," Teruntum assemblyman Chang Hong Seong said.
He said a meeting would be held soon with all interested parties including the state Education Department, Land Office, the Parent-Teachers Association of SM St Thomas and the church committee.
Together with Semambu assemblyman Datuk Pang Tsu Ming, Chang said they met Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob to seek his intervention.
"The Mentri Besar agreed that the issue should be deliberated further with the church committee and the Education Department.
Chang said both Pang and himself concurred with the church committee that in the long-term, it was more appropriate to relocate SM St Thomas to another suitable site for the benefit of students.
He said it was not conducive for the school to be situated on church land.
"However, the final decision will be made during a meeting with the authorities. We will submit our recommendations to Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong."
St Thomas Church Parish priest Rev Father Mitchel Anthony described the postponement as a good sign and thanked both MCA assemblymen for their assistance.
"We are happy with the postponement but it has not resolved the real issue.
"Our legal team will still proceed to file a notice to challenge the acquisition at the High Court."
Rev Mitchel said there was still room for negotiation but the church was of the view that the land must be reclaimed for its own use and expansion due to the growing Catholic community in Kuantan.
Documents showed that the Land Office had gazetted the land for acquisition on May 24 shortly before the church was formally notified.
SM St Thomas was established by Rev Father Louis Guittat in 1956 on the church's land which it purchased in 1910.
In the beginning, the school's administration was under the patronage of the Marist Brothers and later, the Brothers of St Gabriel.
In 1996, it was agreed that the administration of the school be handed over to the Government but not the ownership of the land.
In 2008, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur wrote a letter to the Education Ministry, voicing its intention to reclaim the land where the school is sited.
-The Star-
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