PUTRAJAYA, Jan 2 — A coalition of Chinese and Indian education and cultural organisations called upon the Education Ministry to hold talks with them over the issue of implementing jawi lessons in vernacular schools.

Representatives from the groups including Dong Zong, Jia Zong, Hua Zong, Tamil Foundation, Child Organisation and the Selangor Tamil Association arrived at the ministry complex at 2pm to submit their memorandum.  

Jia Zong secretary-general Tan Cheng Suan said it is important for the ministry to hold the dialogue so that an agreement on the matter could be reached.

“We also stressed it is equally important for the schools’ board of governors’ views to be taken into account, standing by the principle that they have the deciding power on implementing any education policy in schools,” he said following the submission of the memorandum to acting Education director-general Habibah Abdul Rahim.

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Tan also rejected allegations that Chinese education groups were opposed to jawi being taught in vernacular schools, stating this has never been the case.

“We were never opposed to the idea. We simply disagreed with the method of implementation, and feel it should be optional instead of compulsory, as well as inclusive.

“Schools ought to encourage cultural diversity and interaction, thus we agree that introduction to different forms of calligraphy including jawi, Chinese, Tamil, and others can happen,” he said.

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When asked for his view on the call by the Malaysian Muslim Students Coalition (Gamis) and others to outlaw Dong Zong and similar organisations for opposing jawi, Tan said they were entitled to their opinion.

“The right to do so is guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, just as we have voiced out the views of the Chinese educational community.

“Dr Habibah said she will forward the memo to YB Maszlee Malik, so we will keep a positive view of things,” he said.

Tan was accompanied by Dong Zong chairman Tan Tai Kim, Tamil Foundation director K. Arumugam, and three other representatives during the meeting with the director-general.

The debate on implementing Jawi in vernacular schools’ Standard Four classes has been ongoing for over six months. Following the cancellation of Dong Jiao Zong’s congress on December 28 to discuss the issue on, Gamis and several others organised a rally in Kuala Lumpur yesterday where they demanded the government outlaw the Chinese education group for opposing jawi in schools.