Dong Zong rep says police interview on remarks over jawi, vision schools

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — Representatives from the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) were today questioned by police over their organisation’s remarks concerning khat calligraphy and vision schools.

Two-and-a-half hours after walking into the police’s federal headquarters, honorary secretary Ng Chai Heng told reporters that according to the police, 18 complaints had been filed against Dong Zong.

“We were queried on matters related to jawi, as well as on Sekolah Wawasan,” he told the press, declining to elaborate beyond that.

Both Ng and Dong Zong chairman Tan Tai Kim arrived at Bukit Aman shortly after 9.30am, and entered the compound after 10am, accompanied by their lawyers Ng Guang Fa and Abraham Au.

Both men were questioned separately by investigating officers of the Criminal Investigation Department’s Prosecution/Law division and emerged from the police compound at 12.45pm.

Ng said the police did not inform them of what law is being used to investigate Dong Zong and also gave no indication if the organisation will be called upon again to provide further statements.

“The entire process of statement taking was very smooth, and the police were very professional, friendly and kind towards us,” he said.

Dong Zong’s vocal opposition to introducing khat on grounds it is unconstitutional and a form of Islamisation has come under fire from numerous quarters, including from Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who labeled the organisation as ‘racist’, as well as Parti Pribumi Bersatu’s Youth wing, which launched a petition calling for its banning.

Subsequently, Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Dong Zong would be called up by Bukit Aman, and could be charged under Section 504 of the Penal Code for making an intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace, if there was sufficient evidence against it.

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