Joint Statement Made by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

October 17,  2019

The Education Ministry had recently introduced a revised Curriculum Standard and Assessment Document（DSKP）for Year Four Bahasa Melayu subject to make it official that Jawi calligraphy would not be evaluated and assessed in examination. Further, the Ministry added that this would be implemented only with the consent of the Parent-Teacher Association, parents and students. In this regard, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong expressed their concern over the implementation of Jawi calligraphy teaching in national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools through the following statements:

1. Dong Jiao Zong herewith informed, a consensus decision was made in recent joint meeting with various Chinese community NGOs, urging the government to empower the Board of Directors of national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools in deciding whether to profess Jawi calligraphy in these schools, as a gesture to respect the fiduciary duty of the Board of Directors. In fact, during a meeting with the Deputy Education Minister YB Teo Nie Ching on 21^st August 2019, Dong Jiao Zong and various Chinese community NGOs had clearly stated their hope for the Ministry to take appropriate action to resolve the issue of Jawi calligraphy teaching in the said schools.

2. On 15^th October 2019, Dong Jiao Zong forwarded a letter requesting the Deputy Education Minister YB Teo Nie Ching to schedule a meeting within this month, aiming to discuss the issue of Jawi calligraphy teaching in Year Four Bahasa Melayu coursebook for national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools, including the sovereign rights of the Board of Directors of these schools. In view of the urgency and seriousness of the issue, Dong Jiao Zong urges YB Teo Nie Ching to arrange the mentioned meeting as soon as possible, thus to update stakeholders on the progress and to stage a discussion regarding the sovereign rights of the Board of Directors of these schools, in a bid to safeguard the unique characteristics of Chinese schools.

Statement Made by Dong Zong

October 12, 2019

Budget 2020 Augurs Consistent Stability

Higher Allocations for Chinese Schools Acknowledged

In terms of education, Dong Zong is convinced Budget 2020 sustains the government’s policy stance last year, which emphasises on fiscal stability. Meanwhile, Dong Zong acknowledges higher allocations for Chinese schools in the Federal Budget.

Budget 2020 is consistent with the government’s expenditure pattern in education a year ago, whereby it substantially allocated funds to vernacular schools of other streams while paying attention to the development of vocational education. First of all, the Education Ministry remained the biggest allocation receiver with RM 64.1 billion in Budget 2020, an increase of RM3.9 billion or 6.48% from RM60.2 billion in Budget 2019. This reflects the government’s commitments and emphasis in the provision of quality education to her people. Although the government of the day has always been generous in terms of education, there is always a disproportion between the amount of expenditure and the effectiveness of education based on past experiences. Therefore, as education allocation increases over the years, the most immediate challenges for the government today is to improve the quality of public education in the most effective measure.

Secondly, Dong Zong commends Budget 2020’s higher allocation for independent Chinese secondary schools which is up to RM15 million, from RM12 million previously; concurrently, the allocation to national-typed secondary schools also reached RM20 million high, from RM15 million in Budget 2019. Apart from maintaining the allocation for both national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools, the government also allocated an additional RM12 million for utility and sewerage purposes for 2,000 government-aided schools, including Chinese primary schools. In allocations to all vernacular schools, the government’s decision of not neglecting Chinese and Tamil primary schools appears to be more reasonable and fairer than the previous administration. We hope that the government will continue to pay attention to the advancement of Chinese and Tamil primary schools, ensuring funding is allocated based on their actual needs. However, the setback being, Budget 2020 does not include the three private Chinese university colleges in the government’s annual grant allocation. We also call upon the government to contribute towards non-profit educational institutions. For example, providing tax benefits to independent Chinese secondary schools without seeking special exemption from the Finance Minister.

In addition, special needs students also were taken into consideration in Budget 2020, with a RM23 million allocation to mitigate learning barriers by improving national school facilities. We commend the government’s attention on special needs students, and we hope the same treatment is extended to national-typed schools likewise.

Last but not least, we agree with the government’s focus on vocational education, by increasing the allocation from RM 5.7 billion previously to RM5.9 billion. With the development in artificial intelligence, workplace will be disrupted and changes will take place accordingly, the relevancy of vocational education should correspond with technology development. We expect a more comprehensive policy for vocational education from the government.

Joint Statement Made by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

【 October 7, 2019】

 Multi-Ethnic Society Is a Reality

Extreme Rhetoric Undermines Social Harmony

At the recent Malay Dignity Congress (The Kongress Maruah Melayu), attendees passed agendas that were against the principles of a diverse society especially in the areas of education, languages, culture and religions. The congress was also filled with racist speeches, including the call for abolishment of vernacular schools, Jawi script as the official writing script in Malaysia and citizenship could be suspended if the privileges of Malay were challenged, etc. Dong Jiao Zong expresses its regret and condemnation over the actions and speeches made at the Malay Congress that intentionally harm the national harmony of this country. The following statement is issued in response to the Malay Dignity Congress:

Dong Jiao Zong educationist group informed that multi-ethnic society of Malaysia is an outcome of the hard work and mutual respects amongst all Rakyat regardless of their races, which contributed to the country’s success and development today in various aspects. The country’s diversity in races, languages, religions and culture has always been the pride of every Malaysian, who also pays extra effort in maintaining such harmony. Unfortunately, some political leaders and racial extremists have repeatedly put such harmony at risk for their own personal agendas, while certain institutions have also taken advantage and helped to fan up the issue. Their acts are committed with intent to destroy the harmony in the country. These institutions include the University of Malaya (UM), MARA University of Technology Malaysia (UiTM), University Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), which organised the recent Malay Dignity Congress filled with narrow-minded and extremist views. The purpose of the congress is undoubtedly an attempt to reverse the country’s social harmony developed today, and could have adverse consequences on the country. Dong Jiao Zong believes that the congress is more inclined to provoke suspicious thought and misunderstanding among different races, instead of studying Malay community issues. It has tended to deepen ethnic divisions and confrontation thereby to achieve its political aims.

Dong Jiao Zong opined that the above mentioned four universities should put higher emphasis and effort on academic and research competitiveness, fulfilling their role as national institute of higher education, by preparing the graduates for Industry 4.0, and to ensure that they possess the relevant competitiveness to contribute to the country’s advancement and development. The Chinese educationist groups reiterate that universities should not be used as a political tool in organising congress that fan up racial and religious sentiments, as it would not only promote hatred amongst races, but also risk the country’s foundations and development.

In recent years, the country is not lack of issues in politics, economy, education, religions and other social aspects, certain matters have even gone into further discords without proper resolution until today, especially when it is clouded and threatened by racial extremism sentiment.

What is more dissatisfying being that the government has failed to act promptly in resolving them. Even after the change of government, which advocates equality amongst the people and views religion harmony as its policy stance, Putrajaya did not show the courage and boldness it should possess in defending the country against racial and religion extremism. It indeed dishonours the promise to form a new Malaysia.

Commenting on the fact that the Prime Minister and some cabinet ministers attended the Malay Congress, Dong Jiao Zong believes it would paint a picture of the government in support of fanning up racial sentiment at the congress and it further boosts racial extremism sentiment and causes a severe damage to this multi-ethnic society.

Dong Jiao Zong urges the government to face the reality that Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country, and it should be ruled with moderate policies and the government should ensure that they are beneficial to the people and the country’s development. Dong Jiao Zong also urges the government to cut ties with all the congresses that advocate racial division sentiment and provoke religious hatred and to act decisively to curb the growth of extreme racial rhetoric and behaviours.

Joint Statement made by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

30/9/2019

Dong Jiao Zong Views The UEC Recognition Positively

But Regrets the Supplementary Prerequisites

The Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has officially announced the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) allowing UEC holders to be eligible for admission in the Malaysian University of Sabah and serve in the state civil sector, only with the following supplementary prerequisites, viz., the UEC holder must also have (a) a merit in SPM Bahasa Malaysia subject; (b) a pass in the SPM History subject; and (c) a pass in Malaysia University English Test (MUET).

Dong Jiao Zong hereby responds as follows:

We look positively and cautiously at the Sabah government’s recognition of the UEC, but regret that the authority has added the above prerequisites for the recognition of the UEC.

We are also concerned that some reports mentioned the Penilaian Tingkatan 3 (PT3) is also one of the requirements for the recognition of the UEC.

We reiterate our position to respect the status of Bahasa Malaysia as our national language and official language, and accept that a merit of Bahasa Malaysia in the SPM as a prerequisite for the recognition of the UEC.

We urge the federal government to publish the report submitted by the Unified Examination Certificate Task Force (PPDUEC), and to recognise the UEC formally as soon as possible, as claimed by Pakatan Harapan in its General Election Manifesto.

Joint Statement made by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

29/08/2019

Affirmation of Multi-stream Education System

Call for Fair Treatment of Mother Tongue Education

In response to the announcement made by the Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik stating that the Ministry of Education would look into the proposal of a single-stream education raised by Tariq Ismail, Supreme Director of the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), Dong Jiao Zong herewith expresses its regret and disappointment, and forwards this responsive pronouncement:

1. Dong Jiao Zong expresses disappointment and dissatisfaction in the fact that the Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik did not rectify or reject the proposal of single-stream education, but rather, saying that the proposal would be mooted. This response completely ignores the approved multi-stream education in the national education system since the independence of Malaysia.

2. Dong Jiao Zong emphasises that multi-stream education system is not only a social contract in the making of our country, but also the rights granted by the Federal Constitution to maintain mother tongue education of each ethnic group. Such rights cannot be arbitrarily deprived. As subjects of the country, we have the duty to protect her valuable asset and strengthen her always as this multi-stream education system is in line with the harmony and needs of her diverse societal structure.

3. Dong Jiao Zong severely condemns those politicians and extremists who have repeatedly challenged the constitutional rights of each ethnic group to develop their own mother tongue education by defying the existence of multi-stream school system. This will only cause further suspicion and misunderstanding among the society, resulting in unnecessary tension.

4. Dong Jiao Zong urges the government to deliberate its next cause of actions to stop any rhetoric that undermines multi-stream education system in the country. Instead of holding onto the conservative and narrow-minded idea of single-stream education system, we should embrace and strengthen multi-stream education system, and treat mother tongue education of all ethnic groups fairly. This is to enhance the country’s competitiveness and promote its overall development.