Joint Statement Made by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

June 24, 2019

Calling for Transparent Policy Implementation

Prompt Release of Policy Research Report Expected

It was informed by the Minister of Education Dr. Maszlee that the education policy committee report had been submitted to the Prime Minister early this week. Dong Jiao Zong urges the Ministry of Education to release the report simultaneously with the submission to uphold the right to know, thus to be examined and discussed by the general public.

Dong Jiao Zong had submitted a proposal to the committee this end of February to reflect the education of Malaysia from pre-school to higher learning, including the challenges faced by mother tongue education and it later forwarded a countermeasure hopefully the government would look into and ruminate. We Dong Jiao Zong, and many other associations and organisations, who together submitted the proposal are unsure if the recommendation had been mooted and documented in the report. If it was denied, we would wish to know the criteria of the decision. We understand that the committee had received 3,378 proposals from relevant organisations and individuals. The contents of this report are undoubtedly a compilation of wisdom from various stakeholders and the report is de facto the property of the general public. As such, the Ministry of Education bears the duty and responsibility to make the report known explicitly thus addressing public confusion.

We believe, the recommendation of this education policy report will inform the future policies of the country. As it ensues subsequent impact to the nation, the Pakatan Harapan government has the obligation to implement measures in transparency and practise accountable politics, respect democratic participation and defy black box culture, as well as taking the initiative to release the contents of the report as soon as possible since it is necessary.