Joint Statement Released by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

September 3, 2020

Dong Jiao Zong greatly regrets to learn the comments made by PAS information chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad alleging that vernacular school harms the build-up of national unity and also worries about the successive extremist comments made by politicians and political parties as a prevailing phenomenon. Dong Jiao Zong berates this vicious act as it harms unity as well as national integrity and forwards this statement proper:

1. In response to the fact that aiming to incite racial and religious sentiments, many politicians and political parties are airing extremist racial and religious comments regardless of the country’s inherent multiplicity, including pressing the government to close down vernacular schools as well as forwarding “distorted Bible” views, etc., Dong Jiao Zong berates this devastating act which essentially harms national harmony and unity. In actual fact, the growth of this detrimental trend brings about panic, the entire country will result in an unruly chaos or worse still, racial confrontation and hatred that is destructive to the nation. Weighing on these, Dong Jiao Zong hereat beseeches the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Haji Muhammad Yassin to face up its seriousness and take immediate preventive actions to curb the ravaging of racial and religious extremism lest the multiplicity of this country will be fractured.

2. We should also note that since independence, our national education system has subsumed three types of vernacular schools, namely, national, national-type Chinese or Tamil primary schools. These vernacular schools have since used their own mother tongue (Bahasa Melayu, Chinese and Tamil) as the medium of instruction as they are responsive to the needs of pluralistic society and the rights of mother tongue education endowed by the Constitution and hence should not be questioned and challenged by people obsessed with ulterior motive. Dong Jiao Zong posits, notwithstanding the medium of instruction in these vernacular schools differs, they adapt the national curriculum formulated by the Ministry of Education to cultivate identical values. In addition, the coexistence of these schools over the several decades have not harmed national unity but rather enriched her multiplicity as well as producing batches of polymaths continuously. As it stands, the existence of vernacular schools is not merely her unique characteristic but it also helps in international competitiveness and these were recognised and assured by our national leaders.

3. In view of this, the comment made by PAS claiming that vernacular schools harm national unity actually belies the reality and misleads the general public as it ulteriorly denies the existence of vernacular schools and their seminal contributions. Dong Jiao Zong opines, the unfair policy practiced by the government and the distortion of facts in racial and religious extremist comments made by some political parties, organisations and individuals aiming to instigate sensitive racial sentiments are the roots of the problem.

4. The harmonious coexistence of pluralistic cultures and multi-race are the most treasured legacy of our country and it outstands our country and earns respect from the world stage. Since the existence and development of the vernacular schools are responsive to the country’s multiracial needs, both the government and political parties at large are obliged to safeguard and consolidate them accordingly. In addition, Dong Jioa Zong also urges all political parties to realise the multiplicity of the country and be prepared to lead the country in a race-surmounting mindset, including the quality promotion of vernacular schools, enhancement of the entire development of national education which are convinced to be the right track of advancement.