MCA: Court order to stop Dong Jiao Zong gathering is 'regrettable'

PETALING JAYA: The actions of the police to obtain a court order restraining educationist group Dong Jiao Zong from holding a gathering to discuss the implementation of a Jawi calligraphy module in vernacular schools is regrettable, says MCA.

MCA central committee member Chan Quin Er said any citizen or organisation has the freedom to hold an assembly and to express their opinion in accordance with the law.

“This move has denied the rights of Dong Jiao Zong and other Chinese organisations under the Constitution. The gathering was aimed at addressing education issues and did not involve race or religion," said Chan.

She said in a statement on Saturday (Dec 28) that the gathering was supposed to be in a hall, and added that MCA cannot comprehend why the police prohibited the event.

Dong Jiao Zong was served a court order on Friday (Dec 27) and subsequently cancelled the gathering that was supposed to take place at the New Era University College on Saturday.

Chan said MCA wishes to stress that the underlying factors which drove Dong Jiao Zong to organise the meeting were due to the weaknesses, U-turns and broken promises from the Pakatan Harapan government.

She said the Chinese community’s stand was clear and unequivocal when it was first revealed in the media that the Education Ministry would introduce the teaching of Jawi calligraphy for Year Four pupils in vernacular schools from 2020.

Chan said that the Chinese community has three concerns, namely the increasing burden on pupils, that learning Jawi calligraphy does not aid in the mastery of the national language and that the policy may lead to a change in mother tongue education.

“Neither MCA, Dong Jiao Zong nor the entire Chinese community has ever objected against the Jawi script. On the other hand, we agree that it should be made an elective subject in vernacular schools, ” she said.

Chan added that the inclusion of Jawi calligraphy into the Standard Curriculum and Assessment Document (DSKP) of Year Four Bahasa Melayu suggests that examinations may be conducted in the future.

“This shows that what was said to be ‘no compulsion, examination or studying’ for Jawi calligraphy is merely an empty promise solely for cosmetic purposes, ” she said.

Chan said the ministry’s decision, which sidelined the schools’ board of governors and their authority as decision-makers in the teaching of Jawi calligraphy is a “dangerous precedent.”

“If left unchecked, this will open the floodgates to other problems, ” she said, adding that it was also the reason why Dong Jiao Zong felt compelled to call for the gathering.