2024 New Year Message
by Mr Tan Tai Kim, Chairperson of The United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong)
As the year comes to a close, reflecting on the global situation in 2023, conflicts persist between Russia and Ukraine, and tensions escalate once again in the Israeli-Palestinian region, casting a shadow of uncertainty. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim having been in office for just over a year, has brought a semblance of stability to the current political landscape. However, public opinions on the unity government remain divided, with nearly half of the surveyed citizens expressing dissatisfaction with its performance. In the upcoming period, the administration must deliver tangible results to regain public support.
The government faced numerous internal and external challenges in the past year. While Prime Minister Anwar projected a strong presence on the international political stage, domestic policies were characterized by inconsistency and lacked a clear vision for effective governance. The government's achievements in economic reforms over the past year have been modest, falling short of public expectations, especially in terms of palpable impact. Instead, certain policy measures that seemed disconnected from universal values and were perceived to influence secular life raised concerns among non-Muslim communities about the government's potential shift to the right, engaging in a conservative competition with opposition parties for Muslim votes. Malaysia's persistent struggle with political and social transformation, marked by recurring ethnic and religious issues, underscores the current challenges faced by the nation.
The positions taken by the Ministries of Education and Higher Education over the past year have shown a reluctance to depart from previous practices, lacking comprehensive educational reform direction and failing to fulfill several unmet campaign promises. Key issues, such as the slow progress of the “10+6 Plan” for Chinese primary schools (SJKC), unclear details on funding allocations for various stream schools, and the lack of clarity on institutionalized funding for Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (MICSS) and three private universities, remain unresolved. Regrettably, interference in education from political and religious quarters persists, affecting aspects from language of instruction to financial allocations, campus expansions, and administrative operations. To enhance the nation's future competitiveness, the government must ensure education returns to professional development, supporting teachers and students with expertise. The Minister of Education had earlier pledged in Parliament to address the nationwide shortage of teaching staff, and various sectors will be watching to see the government's actions in fulfilling this commitment, hoping for a timely resolution.
Despite the challenges, Dong Zong has made significant strides in various areas, emphasizing mother tongue education and engaging with diverse communities. While we celebrate the recent appellate court ruling affirming the constitutionality of Chinese and Tamil primary schools, challenges persist, and we must remain vigilant in defending the right to mother tongue education. While the current phase of the construction of the Multipurpose Education Complex faced obstacles, Dong Zong, together with The United Chinese School Teachers' Association of Malaysia (Jiao Zong) and Merdeka University Berhad (MUB) remain resolute, moving forward based on reason, law and principles.
Over the past year, Dong Zong actively visited affiliated organizations, strengthened organizational ties, and listened to grassroots opinions. We hosted forums on Chinese education to discuss relevant issues, organized multicultural activities to facilitate interaction among students from different ethnic groups, advocated for the operation survey of Chinese primary school boards, and urged prompt registration by Chinese primary school directors. Regarding the reform of independent Chinese schools, the framework for the learning process of students has been preliminarily established. The midterm review of the “MICSS Education Blueprint” incorporated feedback from various independent Chinese secondary schools. Collaborative efforts with schools continue to implement experimental assessments in high school science courses, with independent Chinese secondary schools joining as pilot institutions. Additionally, we persist in encouraging Chinese youth to apply for Ministry of Education teacher training programs, fostering a new generation of teachers for Chinese primary and secondary schools.
Despite the multitude of ongoing reform initiatives, the unity government now holds a two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament, and with the conclusion of the state elections, there is no electoral pressure for the next four years. Now is the time to demonstrate a resolute commitment to reform. Upholding a centrist path that embraces diversity and enlightenment and delivering concrete achievements is the right path to win the support of the masses.
As we embark on a new year, bidding farewell to the past, we face a year filled with hope and challenges. By embracing hope and confidence, striving for a better future, and working towards realizing new visions, I believe the coming year will be one of fulfillment and success.