Dong Zong racist? No says DAP
PUCHONG: The DAP has affirmed that Chinese education group Dong Zong is not a racist organization as claimed by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“DAP does not agree that Dong Zong is a racist organization. In fulfilling its role to protect Chinese education, Dong Zong has attracted criticisms and condemnation but Dong Zong has never threatened the rights and security of other Malaysians,” said DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng.
He said this in a statement released late last night.
The group and Dr Mahathir Mohamad are at logger heads over the introduction of khat for Year 4 students that would also include vernacular schools.
The Chinese educationist organization is worried about growing Islamisation. Dr Mahathir in return volley termed the group racist as it previously even opposed the Vision School plan.
Lim who is also Finance Minister, in defence of Dong Zong, added that the group was merely exercising its freedom of expression over the issue.
“Such democratic right of freedom of expression however must not threaten punishment or inflict injury on those who have different views. For this reason, DAP strongly disagrees with any suggestion to ban Dong Zong.
Armada Bersatu have started an online petition, calling for the ban of Dong Zong in response to the Chinese educationist group’s online petition against khat.
Lim is optimistic that Dr Mahathir would not opt to ban Dong Zong since the prime minister has adopted an open approach towards freedom of expression.
“He has even given instructions that no one should be arrested or prosecuted for severely criticizingly as Prime Minister, unlike the practice of the previous Prime Minister.
“Therefore, DAP believes that the Prime Minister has no intentions of banning Dong Zong,” he said.
