Statement Released by Dong Zong

July 2, 2018

Dong Zong’s Consistent Position: Vernacular School Construction

Should be Systemised

Malaysia Chinese Association Deputy President Dato Sri Wee Ka Siong recently claimed that on 10 October 2017, he and MCA President Dato Sri Liow Tiong Lai had briefed the Presidents of Dong Zong and Jiao Zong on the perspective location and reasons of construction and relocation of national-type Chinese primary schools and it was not objected. Nonetheless, they were transfixed on 29 June this year after having learned from Dong Zong’s statement that their proposal was strongly questioned. In response to this, a clarification is forwarded herewith.

1. Dong Zong reiterates, on the matter of striving for more build-on for Chinese primary schools, its position is one of systematisation. Whether it is under the former or present government, Dong Zong insists that in terms of construction, the government needs to accord vernacular schools with that of the national schools’ thus providing sufficient vernacular schools (Chinese and Tamil) systematically with funds and land provided complimentarily.

2. Dong Zong hereby rectifies, a memorandum was submitted to MCA President Dato Sri Liow Tiong Lai and Deputy President Dato Sri Wee Ka Siong last October 10 when they met up. The contents of the memorandum cover imminent yet-to-be-settled Chinese education issues including the approval of the construction of additional independent Chinese secondary schools, the systematisation of national-type Chinese primary schools, fair appropriation to national-type Chinese primary schools and systemised appropriation to independent Chinese secondary schools as well as the acceptance of the UEC.

Last November 12 in the Penang Island and Seberang Perai Chinese School Boards Federation dinner, the President of Dong Zong commented on the “Construction and Relocation Plan of the ‘10+6’ Chinese Primary Schools”; he pointed out that the reason given for relocation by the government was unspecific. Six days later (November 18), Dong Zong’s central committee members mooted on the matter and decided to collect the exact number and location of construction and relocation needs from all states nationwide. Likewise, in a newspaper feature interview on 21 January this year, the President of Dong Zong disclosed most of the sixteen yet-to-be-relocated and constructed Chinese primary schools proposed in the “Construction and Relocation Plan of the ‘10+6’ Chinese Primary Schools” were mostly located in newly developed areas which backfired the genuine needs shown by Dong Zong’s survey.

On that score, Dato Sri Wee Ka Siong’s comment “…their proposal was not objected by Dong Zong” is unwarranted. He is, on the above matter, sincerely advised to refer and comment prudently.

3. Immediately after the May 9 election this year, the building committee secretary for the five newly constructed Chinese primary schools and two relocation primary schools Dato Tan Cher Puk reckoned the Pakatan Harapan government needed to appropriate as soon as possible to ensure the completion of the project smoothly, in particular the expense of RM20,000,000 needed for the first phase. The incomprehensible part being, were those ground breaking ceremonies for the few Chinese primary school constructions held before the election embarked without appropriation? The query is, during the span of some five months in between from the announcement made on last October 26 for the approval of the construction of ten and relocation of six Chinese primary schools until April 7 when the parliament was dissolved, did the government of the day formally appropriate for the project? Why didn’t the government formally allocate reserve lots of land for the construction of all the sixteen Chinese primary schools, but instead prompted private housing developers to donate the lots?

We are more than delighted when the Minister of Education Dr Maszlee pronounced the review of the eight to-be-constructed schools under the “Construction and Relocation Plan of the ‘10+6’ Chinese Primary Schools”. Our major intent is not only to clarify the mentioned queries but request for suitable lots allocation for the construction of Chinese primary schools in dense region.

4. In this train of thought, we appeal all parties to let go of their persistence and solve the problem from the pretexts of a respect for mother tongue education and the societal needs of education. We also expect the new government of the day to show determination in reform and sincerely abandons unitary education policy imposed by the former government and be fair in education treatment for all ethnic groups in the country. It is our belief that for a long-lasting solution on the above matter, “Black Box” practice needs to be replaced by transparency. An education think-tank committee formed by the MOE which includes political party members, educationists as well as stakeholders from all sectors working heartily together to provide professional advice on the relocation and construction of Chinese primary schools is thus anticipated.

Statement Released by Dong Zong

June 29, 2018

Government Urged to Systemise and Sponsor the Construction of National-type Chinese Primary Schools

The Minister of Education Dr Maszlee’s recent pronouncement directed that the rest of the eight to-be-constructed national-type Chinese primary schools would be reviewed from the aspects of needs, financial situation and transparency besides the ongoing six relocation and two to-be-built schools. Herewith Dong Zong responds as follows:

1. Dong Zong realises that the selection criteria and principles of the location of the sixteen to-be-built or relocated national-type Chinese primary schools approved by the former Barisan Nasional government were inscrutable. In many high demand region, the endeavour for build- on is denied onto the list of the approved sixteen schools; surprisingly, the approved ones are located in the yet-to-be-developed new region and consequently we take it as not engaging education principle for urgency and needs. Moreover, the recommended locations for the sixteen to-be-built or relocated national-type Chinese primary schools were denounced. Indeed, the case of Lee Lai Sheng Chinese Primary School (Bandar Seri Coalfields, Ijok, Selangor) which is located next to a few national-type Chinese primary schools (for instance, Negeri Sembilan Kota Seriemas Primary School) cannot be free from the intent of electoral fraud.

2. We therefore urge the government to honour its promise set forth in the election manifesto while revising its Chinese primary school construction or relocation project and practice fair treatment towards other vernacular schools.

3. We reiterate, while coping with matter such as construction or relocation for vernacular schools, the government needs to be equal and fair, and always take educational needs into consideration and formulate relevant policy only well informed.

   We, Dong Zong, urge the government to apply the Standard Operation Procedure for the construction of national primary schools to other vernacular schools in construction projects and be responsible in funds and land lots. In addition, we also appeal the government to regulate in the matter of lot reserve for vernacular schools, that is, be attuned with demographical basis, population density and genuine needs to formulate the standard of construction and eventually incorporate this in the regulations of the relevant MOE’s divisions as well as the guidelines of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning for school planning. With all this in place, we are convinced, the construction of vernacular schools will be fruitful.

Statement Released by Dong Zong

June 8, 2018

Dong Zong Urges the MOE to Re-configurate Free Computer Classes for

Chinese Primary Schools

Dong Zong, in response to the directive enacted by the School Management Division of the MOE dated 17 April 2018 informing all primary schools to proceed relevant charged computer classes in the form of cocurricular activity rather than formal classes, herewith releases its stance proper.

1. The said document forwarded by the MOE clearly stated that it is against the relevant directive and guidelines to charge students on attending the mentioned computer classes during the curricular period. Dong Zong understands that Malaysia practices compulsory education for vernacular schools of all sorts and supports the MOE’s decision to disapprove additionally charged computer classes to be scheduled during the curricular span.

2. Dong Zong reiterates, primary education is part of compulsory education, thus all classes scheduled within the curricular span should not be additionally charged; likewise, curriculum standards and teachers for students need to be provided by the MOE rather than private enterprises. Moreover, since curricular classes are within compulsory education, students should not be compelled to pay to learn additional subjects out of schedule. The acts of scheduling additionally charged Computer classes within the curricular span and requesting those who do not join to self-revise in the library or general classroom are both against curricular regulation and unjust towards students. If any additionally charged Computer class were to be scheduled, it should not be scheduled within the curricular span, and it needed to be elective as of co-curricular classes.

3. We believe, it is the government’s responsibility to nurture Computer literacy and thus we urge the government to re-configur computer education, such as to provide free Computer class as a curricular subject taught in Chinese, let alone the provision of curriculum standards, learning materials, teachers, facilities and maintenance.

4. Likewise, the MOE needs to rectify unfair treatment towards national-type Chinese primary schools and equally implements STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education and the application of ICT in teaching, learning and school management system in all vernacular schools. We also wish the MOE could eventually improve the learning outcome of relevant subjects through sufficient provision of ICT hardware for computers, ICT classrooms, teachers, learning materials, computerised administrative system and technical support.

5. Dong Zong beseeches the Minister of Education Dr Maszlee to execute his prowess and engage the will of the parents thus to postpone the implementation of the directive promulgated on April 17 so that a respite is given for the relevant schools to settle the Computer class issue properly.

Statement Released by Dong Zong

March 28, 2018

Blurring of Focus is Cautioned:

Dong Zong Beseeches the UEC Recognisation

MCA President Datuk Wee Ka Siong’s claim that since 2013 the incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak had raised the agenda of the UEC recognisation, it was merely that Dong Zong rejected the proposal and it eventually ended up fruitless. To clarify, Dong Zong herewith responds his claim as follows:

1. Dong zong has, for many years now, declared its position to accept the requirement of credit in the SPM for independent Chinese secondary students to attain local university admission. Granted as stated, it is perhaps the ripe moment for the government to recognise UEC holders to get national tertiary admission and Dong Zong appeals the government to show its sincerity and initiate the recognisation procedures accordingly.

2. On that score, we hope that all parties will not politicise and blur the focus on the matter. Dong Zong reckons if the Barisan Nasional government sincerely intends to accept the UEC, the initiation can be proceeded all at once and it is unnecessary to list it in its election manifesto, thus to leave the Gordian knot to the incoming government.

3. All the while, Dong Zong is constantly seeking face to face dialogue and negotiation with the government for the UEC recognisation. We sincerely urge the government to schedule a meet up for an algorithm on the matter shortly.

Statement Released by Dong Zong

January 16, 2018

Dong Zong’s Resolute Support for TAI TONG Primary School to Safeguard Students’ Safety and Intact Campus

In 2015, the Kuala Lumpur Education Bureau allocated a 2.607-acre lot of land to Tai Tong national-type primary school for the purpose of sports activities and vehicle parking; unpredictably in April 2017, the Bureau revoked the bona fide and informed otherwise that the lot would be used to build a national secondary school and urged Tai Tong primary school authority to vacate. In response to this flaky act, Dong Zong forwards its comments proper herewith:

1. As understood by Dong Zong, the school space of Tai Tong Chinese Primary School has always been in deficiency; it is due mainly to its inherent restricted space, the application for the neighbouring 607-acre lot was hence raised. When the application was approved, a follow-up fund raising event was staged and the school managed to raise RM700,000.00 subsequently. It was intended for the provision of student safety and intact school compound as this would alleviate traffic congestion at the entrance, assure the safety of students, parents as well as staff of the school.

   Accordingly, the standard compound area for a primary school needs to be between 5 to 10 acres and thus by expanding 2.607 acres to its 3.448-acre school compound, the school will reach the regulated requirement set by the government for an allowance of desirable learning milieu for all students enrolled.

2. From the aspects of community geography and development, Tai Tong Chinese Primary School is categorised as “over dense”, and the 2.607-acre lot, in reality, is unsuitable for the construction of a secondary school. We thus appeal the Ministry of Education and Kuala Lumpur Education Bureau to look into the case seriously, viz., to withdraw the reclaim of the said lot and be on a look out for another appropriate lot of land for the anticipated secondary school so that Tai Tong Chinese Primary School can make good use of the allocated lot for optimal education purpose successively.

3. Dong Zong strongly supports the petition raised by national-type Tai Tong Chinese Primary School for its entrance safety and intact compound and herewith calls for responsive acts from the general public to partake the petition.