Kajang: Dong Zong champions Anwar
Chinese school association hopes opposition leader can resolve land issue which has been delayed for 14-years
Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT
The United Chinese Schools Committee Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) today expressed hope that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim can resolve a longstanding land issue in light of the latter’s bid for the Kajang state assembly seat.
Dong Zong chairman Yap Sin Tian (pic left) hoped that “as the by-election is looming”, Anwar and the Selangor state government could help to resolve the issue involving the donation of a 100-acre campus land in Sepang to New Era University College which has been delayed for 14-years.
Yap also hoped that Anwar would allocate land of at least five acres for the reinstatement of the Yu Hua Chinese secondary school, and ensure that higher education institutions under the Selangor state government would recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) of Malaysian Independent Chinese secondary schools.
“The 2013-2025 Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB) is continuing policies and measures that are unfavourable to the survival and development of mother-tongue education, causing it to face a detrimental impact and a crisis of having its nature fundamentally altered,” Yap said at an open house event here.
“Such issues have yet to be resolved, and are causing worries and discontent,” he added.
Yap disclosed that Putrajaya’s neglect for mother-tongue education was the reason many organisations of various ethnic groups continue to fight for the right to said education through various means.
“It is our hope that the government will revise and rectify policies and measures in the MEB that are favourable to the survival and development of mother-tongue education,” he said.
He added that measures include providing fair and reasonable treatment to schools of various streams and to develop them in an institutionalised manner, as well as resolve long-term issues plaguing the school system, such as shortage of teachers, fund allocations, school land, construction of new schools and the powers of school boards.
“The preservation of and fight for the right to mother-tongue education is a totally righteous, justifiable, reasonable and legitimate act,” Yap said.
“The continuation and development of mother-tongue education, languages and culture of each ethnic group is crucial to them as their fundamental right.
“Therefore, regardless of whether it is the National Constitution, legislations and policies, they must all clearly safeguard and treat the continuation and development of mother-tongue education, languages and culture of each ethnic group fairly and reasonably.”
