Press Statement By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 13.8.2019:
DAP does not agree that Dong Zong is a racist organisation. 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. Instead Dong Zong respects the Federal Constitution position of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language, whilst other languages can be freely taught and learnt.
Article 152 (1) of the Federal Constitution states that “the national language shall be the Malay language”. Article 152 part (a) and (b), also states that there is no prohibition or prevention from the teaching or learning of any other language, including the provision of federal and state funds for this.
Whilst we have a right to object or oppose what Dong Zong says, this is part of the democratic right of freedom of expression which means that “I may disagree with what you say, but I will protect your right to say it”. 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.
Since being appointed as Prime Minister again last year, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has adopted an open approach to freedom of expression, subject to no one being threatened with punishment, public disorder, injury or hurt by lies. Tun Dr Mahathir has even given instructions that no one should be arrested or prosecuted for severely criticising him as Prime Minister, unlike the practice of the previous Prime Minister. Therefore, DAP believes that the Prime Minister has no intention of banning Dong Zong.
LIM GUAN ENG
民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼国会议员林冠英于 2019年 8月 13日在吉隆坡发表的文告:
民主行动党不同意董总是种族主义的组织。为了扮演好维护华教的 角色，董总遭到批评与谴责，但是董总从来不曾威胁其他大马子民的 权利与人身安全。相反的，董总尊崇马来文作为国语的联邦宪法地位，同时可以自由学习其他语言。
联邦宪法第 152（1）条文列明“马来文是国语”。第 152条（a）项与（b）项也列明没有阻止学习任何其他语言，无论是联邦或州皆都保障这一点。
虽然我们有权力反驳或反对董总的主张，这是民主所拥有的言论自 由权力，也就是“我可能不同意你所说，但我誓捍卫你说话的权力。”。但同样的，这项民主赋予的言论自由权力不应该用以威胁或伤害不同意见者。有鉴于此，行动党强烈反对任何查禁董总的提议。
敦马哈迪自去年受委任为首相，就广纳言论自由的方式，只要没有人因言论自由而受威胁，影响公共秩序或受到谎言所害皆可。不像前首相，敦马甚至下命令不可以因为有人批评首相而遭逮捕或提控。因此，行动党相信首相并无意要查禁董总。
林冠英
