New Year Speech by the Chairman of Dong Zong Mr Tan Tai Kim

January 1, 2023

Today we usher in a new year which bodes well for a fresh start for everything. Dong Zong wishes you a Happy New Year!

Though the ravage of COVID-19 moderates, pandemic prevention, economics and social functioning gradually return to normality, it is imperative that we all stay vigilant and avoid negligence.

The 15^th General Election has ended soon after the formation of the new cabinet and our prime minister Anwar Ibrahim shoulders the responsibility and obligation to boost economics and uphold public welfare under watchful eyes. In what way the new government will reform the existing institution, reinvent the inefficient system to equally distribute resources will put it to test and challenge its determination. Apart from the welfare-generating ruling party, the society also demands competent opposition parties where rational middle course is adapted and narrow-mindedness discarded for benign competition in bid to assure the smooth transformation of democracy.

Notwithstanding being an old nation, the mission of Zhou dynasty in Chinese ancient history was to reform and it fits in our current situation. To begin with, other correct matters such as anti-corruption, judicial reforms, the revamp of accountability unit, the restoration of social relationship as well as the ending of ethnic contradictions are what the new government can address. We are convinced, as far as the new government could stay beyond partisan interests and take public interest as priority with an adherence of openness and diversity-aware compassion, its consequent success would be assured. In the meantime, non-governmental organisations at large also need to supervise the government as well as the ruling and opposition parties to ensure the consummation of partisan politics and the lay-down of perpetual democratic foundation.

Ever since the new government takes office, the right-winged populist power has excessively rendered and hyped the UEC issue with the agenda to generate confrontation, attack the credibility of the new government and disrupt public order. The acceptance of the UEC is an academic and educational issue, thus only rational dialogue can clarify the ambiguity to its final recognition. The ultimate goal of dialogue is to tackle a problem by letting go of ideology and emotional narratives besides elucidating the ambiguity within, only not venting willfully one’s dogmatic position and emotion. We understand the apprehension of the Malay community and are willing to initiate dialogue with all social strata concerned with the greatest and most sincere endeavour. Our aim is to enhance understanding and build up mutual trust, besides garnering consensus in bid to mull over the said educational issues rationally and pragmatically.

Before the new government resubmits the Budget, Dong Zong reckons it wise the inadequacy of Budget 2023 be reviewed appropriately; that said, the appropriation for all streams of schools needs to be published in detail, let alone that for MICSSs and the three privately funded non-profit university colleges. We expect the government to treat all streams of schools fairly and distribute education resources reasonably to show its recognition for their contribution in national education. Moreover, we also hope that the country’s multi-social and diverse inherence will be taken as fortes.

The multi-purpose education complex initiated by Dong Zong serves as a Chinese education base to promote Chinese education and cultural exchanges. Attributed to the raise of building cost and commodity price, the total sum to be raised has since been marked up to RM420 million. As of the 1^st of December 2022, RM308.1 million had been raised. As such, the continuous support in monetary term from all walks of life is sincerely expected.

The holding of UEC had been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic for more than two years; 2022 even saw a date clash with the 15^th General Election though it was finally held after several reschedules. Dong Zong takes this opportunity to acknowledge the compliant support of all social strata and stakeholders. We wish that after the release of the UEC results, all UEC holders—either going for further studies or taking up a job—will fare smoothly.

Dong Zong anticipates all in the country to advance abreast in concerted effort, taking economic recovery and the alleviation of living cost as priorities. Hopefully, the dire straits can be ridded of and this new year begins with a bright slate.

New Year Speech by Chairman of Dong Zong Mr Tan Tai Kim

January 1, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic, political unrest and rampant racial and religious extremism popping up over the past two years have contributed to the grave negative impact on our society. Dong Zong deeply believes through concerted efforts and united will, we will be able to safeguard our multi-cultural inherence and multi-stream schools as well as ensuring their continuous advancement and full play. With the flow of time and turn of the year, Dong Zong hereby wishes you all happiness in this new year ahead, and is looking forward to the ridding of distress and the ushering in of bright.

1.  Stringent Containment Measures of COVID-19 to Ensure Students’ Safety in School

Kindergartens, primary schools, junior and senior high schools alike were closed due to the raging pandemic and subsequently physical teaching were replaced by online teaching. Inevitably, new teaching model has to be adapted by teachers for students. Yet there are still ample rooms for improvement when practising online teaching as they are not as effective as physical classes and in the long run detrimental to psychological health. Ever since October 2021, students have resumed physical classes in batches; in the face of the pandemic, all parties should take stringent containment measures to ensure the health and safety of both teachers and students in face-to-face contacts.

2. Successful Holding of the UEC and the Publication of Results Expectable

Weighing further on the ongoing pandemic and the vaccination rate of the general public after having experienced two postponements of the holding of Junior and Senior UEC, Dong Zong had learned its lesson and took the initiative to consolidate communication and facilitation with all independent Chinese secondary schools (MICSS henceforth) which resulted in the successful holding of the UEC in 2021. Herewith, Dong Zong acknowledges all independent Chinese secondary Schools, parents and students for their compliance on this matter. Currently, the marking of the UEC papers is underway and results are expected to be published as scheduled. UEC holders can then apply for further studies in higher educational institutions either locally or abroad with their UEC results.

3. The Financial Distress of MICSSs under the Pandemic

Independent Chinese secondary schools are non-profit private educational institutions, they survived independently all these decades via fund-raising. The outbreak of COVID-19 has unpredictably stressed the MICSSs economically; some of them were even drawn to resort to their reserve with a near-25 percent MICSS students incapable of paying tuition fee nationwide. Luckily, many private sectors reached out with monetary donations which in actual fact partially relieved both the schools and students’ financial stress. Hopefully, the country’s economy will recover this year and the fund-raising efforts of MICSSs will be fruitful.

4. Fair Treatment towards all Streams of Schools for the Safeguard of Mother Tongue Education

Schools of different streams in the country have contributed tremendously in the nurture of polymaths in the country for its prosperity, advancement and social harmony. They actually enhance the multiplicity inherence of our society and are the valuable asset and strength for competition. Unfortunately, it is an undisputable fact that the government has been distributing educational resource unfairly. We believe, the government needs to cohere with the principle of equality in education by systemising the construction of all streams of schools, distributing appropriation equally, providing sufficient qualified teachers and other educational facilities, including the infrastructure of the internet. Additionally, the government should set up an independent education supervisory commission to supervise the MOE’s execution of public power for better governance in bid to uphold the development of schools of all streams.

Up to now, mother tongue education has been confronted with grave challenges as many unary extremists aspire to eliminate vernacular Chinese and Tamil primary schools from the country. Therefore, Dong Zong, together with ten other Chinese associations, has jointly raised the “Upholding of Constitutional spirit and Safeguard of Mother Tongue Education” campaign which mobilises Chinese communities and other ethnic societies to remind the government to stay firm on constitutional spirit, safeguard multi-stream education systems and realise the right of mother tongue education endowed. Over 3,000 association signatures have been received so far.

5. Clarification of Appropriation Doubts and Speedier Release of Educational Appropriation

Dong Zong had requested the government to clarify the doubts on Budget 2022 educational appropriation but to no avail. Despite the rise of educational development appropriation in Budget 2022, whether Catholic schools, national-type schools, MICSSs and three privately-run university colleges will be appropriated, the construction and relocation appropriation for vernacular Chinese primary schools reviewed and the electric and water as well as sewage bills of government-sponsored schools be settled by the government are unknown. We posit, the government needs to include this category of schools or institutions in the Budget for appropriation. Other than this, we also expect the government to reveal and clarify the whereabouts of the sum of RM20 million school development appropriation for vernacular Chinese primary schools as well as the progress of school construction project and use of the appropriation among others published in Budget 2020, including whether appropriation has been cancelled in this year’s school construction appropriation.

The MOE has recently fixed March of 2022 as the next school opening date. The government is told to tackle the school teacher shortage issue and release the educational appropriation announced in Budget 2022 so that the school concerned can have enough fund for administrative expenses and settle electric and water as well as sewage bills, not forgetting the promotion and maintenance of school facilities, enhancement of pandemic prevention to ensure the smooth operation of school administration and daily teaching

New Year Speech by Chairman of Dong Zong Mr Tan Tai Kim

January 1, 2021

Time flies and now year 2021 is here to stay. The entire world is currently shrouded in Covid-19 uncertainty and it is imperative that we continuously monitor its development and review the pandemic prevention measures at all times. Last year Dong Zong managed to accomplish all plans under the concerted effort of all staff. In this brand-new year, hopefully Dong Zong will advance and brave new challenges and ordeals with determination.

1. Covid-19 broadens the digital gap yet all walks of life back the holding of UEC examination

In the midst of March 2020, classroom teachings were called to a halt in all schools nationwide and thus long distance taught programmes were responsively activated. Dong Zong indeed supports wholeheartedly online teaching for all Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (ICSS) by collecting all accessible learning materials and videos from ICSSs and uploaded them to the “Common Platform of Independent Chinese Secondary School Teaching Resource” for teachers to share and make full use of at their disposal. Many ICSSs at the meantime also tried to incorporate online teaching with real life teaching for the sole purpose of teaching efficiency hence put “no classroom teaching yet continuous learning” into practice.

The deficiency being, ever since the implementation of online learning, the digital divide between the rich and the poor further broadens as students from low-income families are in dire needs of learning space and stable internet accessibility, etc. which actually causes the failure of learning and broadens educational gap with more student drop-outs. The latest reports released by the United Nations Children’s Fund pointed out that Covid-19 will pose severe outcome towards children in particular; statistically, one in five children will lose interest in learning. The longer the crisis lasts, the more serious it will affect children’s education, health, nutrition and welfare. The formation of a Lost Generation compromising the future for all will likely be the end-product.

The said virus uncertainty not only pushes the current education in the country towards a brand-new digital model, but also causes the postponement of the holding of Senior and Junior UEC Examination twice. Having assessed variables such as the possible development of the virus, virus prevention measures and the safeguard of the rights of UEC candidates among others, we formulated responsively a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as well as counter measures, including the concerted efforts put into by relevant parties and stakeholders for the holding of UEC examination thus to prepare the students for their further studies and prospective career.

2. Multi stream education affirmed while seeing the growth of non-Chinese students in vernacular Chinese primary schools

Malaysia is a multiracial nation; each ethnic group has its own historical memories, culture and mother tongue. However, the difference should not be an alienation but a community nutrient. Multiculturalism is a precious heritage of Malaysia and the establishment of multi stream schools is not for the interest of any one ethnic group. Currently, there are more Chinese and Indian students in national vernacular schools and a rising trend of non-Chinese enrollments in vernacular Chinese primary schools. An advanced and pluralistic country should take the initiative to enhance communications and interactions between the races readily. The past decade saw the stable growth of non-Chinese enrollment in vernacular Chinese primary schools and thus the allegation “vernacular Chinese primary schools compromise national integrity and harmony” will collapse and fall apart instantaneously. Conversely, Chinese-culture-based vernacular Chinese primary schools have indeed turned into interactive grounds for pluralistic cultures.

We welcome the affirmation given by non-Chinese parents towards vernacular Chinese primary schools and will safeguard the inherent characteristics of vernacular Chinese primary schools for the assurance of their eternal development. Of late, Dong Zong authorised the Chinese Department of University Malaya to embark on a survey on non-Chinese students in vernacular Chinese primary schools to discern the responsive measures and policies implemented by these schools. This survey will be administered separately in all states at different periods. To begin with, the first phase will be embarked on the vernacular Chinese primary schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan. The survey is expected to be completed in the first half of 2021.

3. The construction of an integrated complex for Chinese education development

Last year, Dong Zong, Jiao Zong, the Merdeka University Sendirian Berhad and other sixteen organisations or associations jointly organised a series of activities entitled “Ke Arah Baru” (Towards a New Direction) aiming to raise fund for the construction of an integrated complex. The complex is intended for the promotion of Chinese education, ground of cultural interaction, venue of ICSS teacher education and the marking of the UEC papers, venue of public performance and exhibitions as well as the holding of camp of all sorts. Attributed to last year’s Covid-19 pandemic, the progress of the fund-raising project entitled “Every Brick and Tile for Chinese Education” was undermined. Yet in 2021, we will do our best to continuously hold fund raising dinners for the outstanding RM11 million; hopefully, the target will be accomplished with the assistance and financial supports from all of you.

In the tentative schedule of “Ke Arah Baru”, an international mother tongue convention will be held at the end of 2021. As such, local and overseas academics and pundits will be invited for the connection of mother tongue education activists and scholars targeting the formation of a common platform to bridge with the world. In the convention, matters such as the way to carry forward and maintain multilinguistic and cultural development for the assurance of mother tongue users will be discussed. Other key activities such as multi-educational forum, Tan Kah-Kee Education Talk and Young Chinese Educationists Camp will be organised aiming to consolidate the documentation of Chinese education through the many brain-storming and opinion collection sessions. Finally, upon the acceptance check of the implementation, the three-year “Ke Arah Baru” will come to a close.

4. Regression of people-based policy and the fair distribution of education resources

From the Sheraton Hotel incident happened in February last year to the Motion of No Confidence of Budget 2021, the political sparring between the government and the people is a trying period for the tenacity of our Constitution and it will eventually decide the regression or stay of democracy. Co-operation between the people and the government is the key to resolve conflicts and the prerequisite of successful control of Covid-19 spread and it demands concerted efforts from all parties as well as the members of civil society. With this in place, the executive, including the legislative branch will be able to provide security assurance to the people as well as exerting the power of supervision to prevent the society from collapsing into a state of narrowminded and extremist political whirlpool.

Though under the impact of the virus spread, there is no alibi for procrastination in education reform and the inadequate distribution of educational resources. In the midst of crisis and the provision of learning assurance for the students, a new influx of education outlook must be at play for reinvention. For instance, whether the distance taught mode will ensure students’ learning right an unignorable issue for teachers, students, school authority and the government. The government and society should leverage the existing social system, social work system to care for students’ physical and spiritual health. For the fairness of education, the government needs to quicken common digital construction, alleviate the cost of internet usage and digital facilities for underprivileged families so that they are not further caught in a lurch resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Looking forward to this brand-new year, Dong Zong wishes you a fruitful and prosperous year ahead.

New Year Speech by Chairman of Dong Zong Mr Tan Tai Kim

January 1, 2020

At the very outset of the year 2020, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year!

Last year was undoubtedly a challenging and insightful year for Dong Zong. While keeping abreast with Jiao Zong and the many Chinese communities, Dong Zong managed to respond and address diverse educational stalemates timely in the interest of Chinese education and advance with significant and meaningful plans and progress.

1. Malaysia Independent Chinese Secondary Schools Education Reform Is on Its Gradual Track

Education reform and innovation, Malaysia inclusive, have been actively picking up momentum globally. For education reform, far-sightedness is central. Favourable terms created from both the perspective of policy and social dimension must be in place. Short-sighted intent such as seeking after short term result and success must be reconsidered. To follow up with the “MICSS Education Blueprint”, Dong Zong had accomplished the following goals in 2019: (1) Formed MICSS Education Reform Working Committee; (2) Completed the trial version of the Main Curriculum Standards for all subjects as a guide to compile learning materials, recommend pedagogical approaches and evaluation; (3) Formulated the guidelines for Malay, English and Chinese speaking tests as well as Science subject experiments which were proposed to be in pilot practice in 2021; (4) Studied IB and Civil education, reviewed the system of promotion and repetition for students, etc.; and (5) implemented teaching, discipline, counselling, co-curriculum, dormitory management as well as Physical Exercise teacher training workshops.

2. In-depth Dialogues between Cross-cultural Groups

Chinese education in Malaysia is essentially a mother tongue campaign embedded with cross cultural and religious nature. On the first day after the May ninth regime change, UMNO and PAS joined hands resulting a recharge of the preservative force. They consequently resorted to grass-roots sentiment provocation, and hence unruly events took place profusely until this very day. The politics in this country looms with uncertainties currently. The entire society is shrouded by religious and racial issues (e.g. the incorporation of Jawi scripts learning in national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools; PPBM challenged the constitutional status of national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools) and they ensue public turmoil. As such, Dong Zong took the initiative to actively promote multicultural mindset further by organising cross-racial interactions to encourage cross-racial activities and exchanges through its newly established “Multi-ethnic and Multi-cultural Project”. It all began from school compounds in a bid to nurture students’ multicultural awareness and competence to rectify stereotyped impression and prejudice between the ethnic groups. Multiculturalism is a precious legacy of Malaysia since gaining her independence. We are convinced, safeguarding multiculturalism and housekeeping pluralistic values are the only way out for Malaysia. Further, through incessant exchanges, we believe trust can be regained and social harmony consolidated.

3. “Ke Arah Baru: Pendidikan Bahasa Cina” As a Reinvention

From March 2019 onwards, Dong Zong, Jiao Zong and Merdeka University Berhad jointly introduced the campaign “Ke Arah Baru: Pendidikan Bahasa Cina”. A series of activities were subsequently introduced. The objectives of this campaign are to correspond with the existing situation and the advancement of technology to furnish narratives for Chinese education thus to create a platform for verbal exchanges on the development of production mechanism and interactions. It is intended to pool columnists and luminaries from all walks of lives to reflect together the best way out for Chinese education aiming to accumulate resources for Chinese education. Since then, in response to the campaign, the following activities had been organised: Multicultural Forum, MICSS Education Reform Briefings and Interactions, Jia-Geng Education Talk, International Education Conference and Feature Articles Publication on Newspapers. Through all these approaches of narratives and dialogues, it is hoped that a collection of proposals for the campaign will be formed, published and forwarded.

Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job. Another imminent goal of the campaign is to raise fund for a multi-purpose complex in the Kajang campus of Dong Zong, hoping to disseminate Chinese education and to use it as a venue for cultural exchange. Apart from this, the complex will also be used for teacher education, UEC papers centralised marking, performances of various sorts, etc. The World Presidents Red Wine Diplomacy Fund Raising Dinner was a heartening success. Dong Zong managed to raise RM14,200,000.00 on that event, which was close to half of the target sum (i.e. RM30,000,000.00) it proposed to raise.

In this new year, we will push forward more fund raising events, hopefully Chinese education supporters and stakeholders will assist us as usual to facilitate the construction of the mentioned multi-purpose complex.

4. Harmonious Dialogues Is the Resolution to Conflicts

This current world is experiencing an unprecedented traumatic transition: challenges from terrorism, regional conflicts and the rise of populism, etc. But we firmly believe, ethnic groups of different cultures should live harmoniously and gregariously for the sheer goal of world peace and gearing for peace and dialogues are the inevitable approaches. The various ethnic groups in our country have their individual appeals, on top of extant differentiation. Prevailing egocentric persistence and narrow-minded demands will direct one into an irony tower where mother tongue or favourable language should be heard and no others. That in reality will give rise to sentiment manipulation. In light of this, we raise the idea of social dialogues, rational exchanges and hope all ethnic groups will advance together with the objective of prosperity consequently.

The ultimate purpose of dialogue is to stay open to contradictory views, address disputes and not to persist in subjective train of thought. Willful allegations to outstand oneself is likely to invite emotional outbursts from other communities. The sentimental narratives of politicians, in particular, may consolidate their ideology and proposition, but contribute nothing constructive towards social relationship which demands rational exchanges. We wish that all parties and stakeholders will instead vent their angsts rationally rather than emotionally. We are convinced, with openhearted treatment, similarities and differences can coexist, a harmonious society with views of diversity can be in existence shortly.

This year, Chinese Lunar New Year falls in January, we hereby present you with the Chinese character “peace” which carries the connotations of harmony and stability. Hopefully, all the ethnic groups in this country will enhance exchanges and interactions for a more peaceful and harmonious society like the blossoms of diverse flowers on the soil of our motherland observing what Lim Lian Geok posit, “coexistence and co-prosperity with views of diversity”.

Kenyataan media Dong Zong
31 Mac 2019
Keputusan LPQB menerima lulusan UEC untuk menduduki CLP dialu-alukan

Lembaga Kelayakan Profesion Undang-undang Malaysia (LPQB) mengumumkan keputusan mesyuarat LPQB pada 8 Mac 2019, bahawa mulai 1 Januari 2021, syarat kelayakan untuk pemegang UEC menduduki Peperiksaan Sijil Amalan Guaman (CLP) adalah lulus sekurang-kurangnya dua mata pelajaran dalam Peperiksaan Bersepadu Menengah Tinggi, dan sekurang-kurangnya lima kepujian di peringkat Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)/ O-Level/setaraf yang diperoleh dalam satu peperiksaan yang sama.

Berhubung perkara ini, kenyataan Dong Zong adalah seperti berikut:-

Pertama, Kami mengalu-alukan keputusan LPQB menerima kelayakan UEC Menengah Tinggi sebagai memenuhi syarat kelayakan di peringkat Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) bagi tujuan menduduki Peperiksaan Sijil Amalan Guaman (CLP).

Kedua, Kami menganggap penilaian semula oleh LPQB ini berasaskan tiga perkara berikut:

1.Merujuk kepada syarat kelayakan lulusan UEC yang diterima beberapa universiti di United Kingdom untuk program Sarjana Muda Undang-Undang.
2.Merujuk kepada syarat kelayakan lulusan UEC yang diterima universiti-universiti lain untuk program Sarjana Muda;
3.Kesan kepada lulusan UEC yang sedang mengikuti program Sarjana Muda Undang-Undang lantaran pengumuman pada 5 Jun tahun lalu.

Pengumuman 5 Jun 2018 akhirnya diperbetulkan, daripada kelayakan menggariskan syarat lulus sekurang-kurangnya dua subjek dalam STPM/A Level untuk pemegang UEC, kepada lulus sekurang-kurangnya dua subjek dalam Peperiksaan Bersepadu Menengah Tinggi (UEC), dan memperoleh sekurang-kurangnya lima kepujian di peringkat Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)/ O-Level/setaraf dalam satu peperiksaan yang sama – untuk menduduki Peperiksaan Sijil Amalan Guaman (CLP), mulai 1 Januari 2021.

Pada masa yang sama, syarat kelayakan tersebut digunakan untuk pelajar yang telah mendaftarkan diri dengan program Sarjana Muda Undang-Undang selepas 5 Jun tahun lalu. Ia menunjukkan bahawa LPQB telah mengendalikan isu ini dengan pragmatik, dan berlandaskan profesional pendidikan.

Ketiga, Kami berpandangan bahawa pengumuman baru LPQB ini lebih baik dan terbuka berbanding keputusan pada 5 Jun 2018. Sungguhpun salah satu syarat kelayakan yang digariskan untuk menduduki CLPE adalah memperoleh sekurang-kurangnya tiga kepujian dalam SPM/O Level/setaraf untuk lulusan UEC Menengah Tinggi, kini ditambah kepada sekurang-kurangnya lima kepujian dalam SPM/O Level/setaraf, iaitu tambahan dua kepujian dalam SPM/O Level/setaraf. Dong Zong akan terus memperjuangkan isu ini dengan fakta dan rasional, sebagaimana yang dilakukan selama ini.  (tamat)

     A new year is dawning. After the 509 General Election in 2018, Malaysia has ushered in a ‘Brand New Malaysia’. With the New Year just around the corner, Malaysians are craving for a better year, with the new government getting rid of the old style of governance, making amends on mono-ethnic racism and leading the country to a prosperous growth.

With the new government installed, we have seen some breakthroughs in Chinese education. For the very first time, we see independent Chinese secondary schools receiving funds from the government. 12 million Ringgit will be allocated to 60+1 independent Chinese secondary schools. Even better, 3 private colleges, namely Southern University College, New Era University College and Han Chiang University College, are going to receive 2 million each as development fund. Though the allocation sum is not that huge, what is more important is the fact that we have finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. What Dong Zong has been fighting for all these years—getting equitable treatment for Chinese education and institutionalised government funding for independent Chinese secondary schools—has finally come true.

In terms of Chinese education promotion, Dong Zong has been reforming continuously to meet new, evolving needs since its ‘Independent Chinese Secondary Schools Proposal’ in the 70’s and the ‘Independent Chinese Secondary Schools Reform Programmes’ in 2005. Drawing on the strength of advanced reform concepts in education from all over the world, Dong Zong launched the ‘Malaysia Independent Chinese Secondary Schools Education Blueprint’ in 2018 to pave the way of development for independent Chinese secondary schools in the next decade. As such, we sincerely wish that the UEC would be recognised by the government in the near future.

In line with the current development of the Chinese education movement under the new government, Dong Zong fully recognises that the Chinese education movement needs to be intensified further. Besides defending our mother-tongue education, we want to re-consolidate the strength of the Chinese community to install a more forward-looking vision for Chinese education.

As for our future development goals, Dong Zong will not only stand firm on mother-tongue education but also seek similarities across dissimilarities by paying more attention to cross-ethnic issues. In November 2018, together with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Dong Zong held the ‘Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa’ forum and received an overwhelming response. In the said event, as witnessed by the Malaysian Education Minister Dr. Maszlee Malik, Dong Zong signed a memorandum with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka to seal a pact on closer future ties in education, literature, publication, translation, research etc.  To this end, Dong Zong has specially set up an inter-linguistic committee to fully promote the relevant projects.

Last but not least, Dong Zong is celebrating the coming Chinese New Year (as shown in its CNY greeting cards) with the theme of ‘Feng’, or abundance in English, a vivid portrayal of Malaysia’s abundant ethnicities, languages, cultures, religions and so on, and the spirit of a single, united nation with multiracial differences. Dong Zong vows to lead the Chinese community to greater progress with this principle and direction in mind.  Happy New Year to everyone! May the New Year find you in good health and great fortune!