We will stage a nationwide protest, says Dong Zong

The United Chinese Schools Committee Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) strongly criticizes the Selangor Education Department, mainly the Ulu Rengit District Education Office which reacted negatively during a meeting pertaining to the new contract  with  300 temporary teacher recently.

Dong Zong in a media statement mentioned that the education officer had appeared to threaten that those not signing the contract would :

1) be blacklisted and would not be considered to be public servant in future

2) not be consider for contract-renewal next year

3) have to refund salary paid since October this year

4) will be subjected to other disciplinary actions.

Dong Zong supports the 20 over teachers who staged a protest and urged the Ministry of Education (MOE) to look into the matter seriously. They asked the MOE to order to all state offices to stop their officers from intimidating the temporary teachers with threats.

Dong Zong urged the MOE to treat the temporary teacher fairly, and take immediate action to revise the unfair terms of their newly implemented contracts. In the new contract, temporaty teachers will not receive EPF or bonus entitlements,school holidays yet will be subjected to 7-days termination notice should their services be rendered futile.

Dong Zong also urged the ministry not to go against the Labour Law, and to protect the interest and welfare of the teachers. Also, more teacher-training courses should be conducted to provide them with chances to formally qualify as a teacher.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Education Minister, Wee Ka Siong, had earlier on asked the temporary teacher not to sign the contract, as the MOE and Treasury department are look for a solution to the matter.

In principle, both departments had agreed to provide the temporary teachers with their December salary.

Wee asked and advised the temporary teacher and the public to be patient, as the MOE is revising the nationwide standard of temporary teacher’s contract.

Pertaining to the threats made at the teachers, he believes that the incident occured because the related education Officers were yet to receive the latest order from the ministry’s Headquarters.

Should there be a rectification of the contract, Dong Zong will initiate a nationwide protest starting with the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor liaison committees.