JOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA - The culture of dedication and responsibility practised by the boards of directors of Chinese primary schools nationwide should be emulated by other communities.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the practice was prevalent among the 1,290 such schools in the country, and their boards had traditionally played a proactive role in mobilising sponsorship and donations for new school buildings.

"Raising such funds have never been easy, but the boards had even managed to obtain professional services for free," he said, citing the contributions by architects.

"The boards have raised funds responsibly and with dedication and transparency."

Ong told pressmen after visiting SJKC Masai on Sunday that he would like the school's board to share their experiences with other communities, as raising funds through organising dinners or concerts was hard work.

"Each and every step is equally crucial. The boards manage the funds and even call for tenders. The Government recognises the model has worked well," he said.

Ong said the success of the school boards was not because their members were rich, as contribution were in the form of energy, ideas as well as time.

"In many localities, those who contributed came from all walks of life; not everybody is a big-time businessman," he said. "Smallholders and even rubber tapers are among those who assist in raising funds."

On Saturday, Ong announced that the Government had agreed to allow the boards of Chinese primary schools to have full control over funds given by the Government, especially funds for refurbishment and construction of school buildings.