KUCHING: Non-Chinese pupils make up 38 per cent of the enrolment of Sarawak’s Chinese primary schools, which are a platform for racial unity.

The number of non-Chinese pupils is increasing as they make up 42 per cent of all SJKC pupils in Year 1, while the percentage for Year 6 is 32 per cent.

According to the statistics, the number of non-Chinese pupils continues to surge, said Datuk Johnathan Chai Voon Tok, president of the Association of the Board of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools for Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division, Sarawak.

He said during the ground-breaking ceremony of the new building of Chung Hua Batu 11 Primary School in Matang on Thursday, “This is the trend for the future. Hopefully Chinese primary schools will be able to continue accepting more non-Chinese pupils for such schools to become a platform for racial unity in the state.

“Pupils of different ethnic groups are able to learn and grow under the same roof, maintaining the racial harmony and unity in Sarawak,” he added.

Since 2020, through Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, all Chinese primary schools in the state have received more than RM50 million in allocations, said Chai.

Without the allocation of funds and land, SJK Chung Hua Batu 11 would not be able to relocate, he said.

The school applied to relocate in 1999, but did not receive any reply from the authorities for over 20 years.

The association paid a courtesy visit to Dr Sim and expressed its plan to relocate.

Dr Sim later followed up with the school for it to receive a new school site in 2022.