Education groups Dong Zong and Jiao Zong decry PAS president Hadi Awang’s ‘pendatang’ remarks

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.”

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