Education groups Dong Zong and Jiao Zong decry PAS president Hadi Awang’s ‘pendatang’ remarks
Two of Malaysia’s largest Chinese education advocacy groups, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong, have issued a strong joint condemnation of PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s recent remarks labelling DAP supporters as “pendatang” (immigrants). — Picture by Miera Zulyana
Summary
Dong Zong and Jiao Zong, two prominent Malaysian Chinese education advocacy groups, have strongly criticized recent remarks by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, which labeled DAP supporters as "immigrants" and accused Malay Muslims of being "ungrateful."
In their joint statement, they argued that such remarks undermine national unity by fostering ethnic and religious divisions and contradict the principles of equal citizenship outlined in Malaysia's Federal Constitution. Citing Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah's address, they emphasized that the "pendatang" narrative is obsolete and urged politicians to focus on national interests and inclusive policies.
The groups warned against the dangers of identity-based politics, advocating instead for addressing crucial issues like economic transformation and social justice.
By Malay Mail
First Published: Saturday, 25 Jul 2026 6:03 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — Two of Malaysia’s largest Chinese education advocacy groups, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong, have issued a strong joint condemnation of PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s recent remarks labelling DAP supporters as “pendatang” (immigrants) and accusing some Malay Muslims of being “ungrateful” and “colluding” with others.
In a joint statement released today, the duo—collectively known as Dong Jiao Zong—warned that such rhetoric undermines the national identity by defining citizenship along ethnic and religious lines, while distorting healthy political competition into inter-ethnic hostility. They said the remarks not only fail to strengthen national unity but also risk eroding the longstanding trust built among Malaysia’s diverse communities.
“Malaysia is a plural society. Regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, all citizens are equal under the Federal Constitution,” the statement read. “After generations of shared struggle, people of all ethnicities have long made this land their home. To label any group as ‘immigrant’ or ‘native’ based on who arrived first is historically unfounded and contradicts the democratic principles of equal citizenship.”
The education groups cited a 2023 royal address by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who emphasised that at the dawn of independence, representatives of all races accompanied Tunku Abdul Rahman to London for negotiations. The resulting social contract, enshrined in the Federal Constitution, recognised Malay as the national language and Islam as the official religion, while granting non-Bumiputera citizens citizenship rights and the freedom to preserve their ethnic identities, languages and cultures.
“His Royal Highness’s words were clear: the narrative of ‘*pendatang*’ no longer exists in Malaysia,” Dong Jiao Zong said. “Politicians would do well to heed this wisdom, prioritise the national interest, and uphold the inclusive spirit upon which this country was founded.” They added that those who ignore this history and exploit the “*pendatang*” narrative for political gain risk tearing the nation apart and destroying social harmony.
The groups also took issue with Hadi’s characterisation of supporters of rival parties as “ungrateful”, arguing that in a constitutional democracy, citizens have the right to freely choose their political affiliations. “To label supporters of other parties as ‘ungrateful’ is to deny the people’s right to make independent political judgments,” they said.
Dong Jiao Zong noted that such identity-based politicking is nothing new, having been repeatedly deployed around election cycles over the years. They said it not only deepens inter-ethnic suspicion and hinders national integration but also distracts the country from pressing issues such as institutional reform, economic transformation, and public welfare.
The groups urged all politicians to respect the country’s pluralistic foundations and stop exploiting racial and religious sentiments. Political competition, they said, should instead focus on policies related to economic development, education reform, social justice, and administrative efficiency.
They also called on all Malaysians to remain committed to dialogue over confrontation, and to collectively defend the values of democracy, rule of law, equality and inclusivity.
First Published: Saturday, 25 Jul 2026 6:03 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — Two of Malaysia’s largest Chinese education advocacy groups, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong, have issued a strong joint condemnation of PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s recent remarks labelling DAP supporters as “pendatang” (immigrants) and accusing some Malay Muslims of being “ungrateful” and “colluding” with others.
In a joint statement released today, the duo—collectively known as Dong Jiao Zong—warned that such rhetoric undermines the national identity by defining citizenship along ethnic and religious lines, while distorting healthy political competition into inter-ethnic hostility. They said the remarks not only fail to strengthen national unity but also risk eroding the longstanding trust built among Malaysia’s diverse communities.
“Malaysia is a plural society. Regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, all citizens are equal under the Federal Constitution,” the statement read. “After generations of shared struggle, people of all ethnicities have long made this land their home. To label any group as ‘immigrant’ or ‘native’ based on who arrived first is historically unfounded and contradicts the democratic principles of equal citizenship.”
The education groups cited a 2023 royal address by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who emphasised that at the dawn of independence, representatives of all races accompanied Tunku Abdul Rahman to London for negotiations. The resulting social contract, enshrined in the Federal Constitution, recognised Malay as the national language and Islam as the official religion, while granting non-Bumiputera citizens citizenship rights and the freedom to preserve their ethnic identities, languages and cultures.
“His Royal Highness’s words were clear: the narrative of ‘*pendatang*’ no longer exists in Malaysia,” Dong Jiao Zong said. “Politicians would do well to heed this wisdom, prioritise the national interest, and uphold the inclusive spirit upon which this country was founded.” They added that those who ignore this history and exploit the “*pendatang*” narrative for political gain risk tearing the nation apart and destroying social harmony.
The groups also took issue with Hadi’s characterisation of supporters of rival parties as “ungrateful”, arguing that in a constitutional democracy, citizens have the right to freely choose their political affiliations. “To label supporters of other parties as ‘ungrateful’ is to deny the people’s right to make independent political judgments,” they said.
Dong Jiao Zong noted that such identity-based politicking is nothing new, having been repeatedly deployed around election cycles over the years. They said it not only deepens inter-ethnic suspicion and hinders national integration but also distracts the country from pressing issues such as institutional reform, economic transformation, and public welfare.
The groups urged all politicians to respect the country’s pluralistic foundations and stop exploiting racial and religious sentiments. Political competition, they said, should instead focus on policies related to economic development, education reform, social justice, and administrative efficiency.
They also called on all Malaysians to remain committed to dialogue over confrontation, and to collectively defend the values of democracy, rule of law, equality and inclusivity.
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