Joint Statement Released by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

November 7, 2020

No Appropriations for MICSS in Budget 2021

Government’s Prompt Clarification Urged

In Budget 2021 as pronounced by the Minister of Finance Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz yesterday in the parliament, no details of appropriation for all types of schools and independent Chinese secondary school was mentioned under the School Maintenance and Promotion Appropriation (applicable to national and government-funded schools), but merely a total sum of RM800 million which perplexes the Chinese community as it is inconsistent in presentation. In the meantime, Budget 2021 likewise differs in independent Chinese secondary school (MICSS) appropriation policy for the past two years, notwithstanding Malaysia Chinese Association President Wee Ka Siong claimed on the 6^th of November in a media interview (“Zero for MICSS Appropriation?” Wee Ka Siong: Appropriation of RM800 million Not Subdivided”, reachable at https://www.sinchew.com.my) the appropriation for maintenance and promotion actually was allocated to independent Chinese secondary schools.

It is known in the subdivision of schools configured by the Education Ministry, MICSS is not under the division of National and Government-funded Schools. In fact, Dong Jiao Zong is greatly disappointed and confused with the pronouncement thus urges the Minister of Finance to clarify the details of the subdivision of school appropriation sooner. In retrospect, when only the total sum of appropriation was pronounced in Budget 2016 previously and not the subdivision details, the general public was caught in widespread comments and discussions. Though the government later revealed the subdivision allocation, the appropriation allocated to SMJK (Chinese), SMJK (Tamil), Catholic Secondary and National-type Secondary was released only a year later (i.e. 2017); yet the appropriation for SMJK (Tamil) and Catholic Secondary schools was somehow reduced to RM16.5 million. In response to the government’s non-disclosure of exact figures for all types of schools in Budget 2021, we think it unwise and obviously the government has not drawn a lesson from the misunderstandings it had created in the measurable past.

Further, no appropriation for vernacular Chinese primary school construction and relocation as well as three tertiary institutions, viz., New Era University College, Southern University College and Han Chiang University College were informed in Budget 2021. Currently, many vernacular Chinese primary schools are in the process of construction and relocation, including the approved “10+6 Vernacular Chinese Primary School Construction and Relocation Project” approved prior to the last election. We reckon the government bears the responsibility to provide enough funds and lands for vernacular Chinese primary schools to complete their construction and relocation projects and school opening. It was both encouraging and delightful when the government appropriated RM12 million and RM15 million respectively in 2019 and 2020 for all independent Chinese secondary schools and a total of RM6 million annually for New Era University College, Southern University College and Han Chiang University College, which is, an appropriation of RM2 million for each of them.

Weighing on the matter, we earnestly urge the government to appropriate the least RM20 million for all independent Chinese secondary schools to alleviate their financial burden. Simultaneously, at least an appropriation of RM150 million is to be allocated to all the 1,299 vernacular Chinese primary schools and RM20 million for national-type secondary schools. Apart from this, we hope the government will be consistent in appropriation by allocating subsidies to government-funded schools to relieve their water, electric and waste discharge expenses.

Over the years, Dong Jiao Zong has constantly urged the government to practise tax exemption on education industry surplus and donations received by non-profit NGOs as well as education institutions, yet the current Budget 2021 is not responding and feedbacking to the proposal which is indeed disappointing.

Finally, Dong Jiao Zong beseeches the government to moot the proposed suggestion seriously in the Parliamentary Budget Committees debate and adapt correct and well-intentioned advice readily as well as reviewing the contents of Budget 2021.

Special Appropriations for All Schools from Budget 2012 to 2020 (in Ringgit Malaysia)