Press Digest - Hua Zong slams groups who initiate legal action then seek donations to cover costs

PETALING JAYA: Hua Zong (Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia) has ticked off the leaders of some Chinese groups who refer Chinese education issues to the court at the drop of a hat but have to seek donations from the Chinese community to pay for their legal costs.
Federation president Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah said this is utterly ridiculous and irrational, China Press reported on Sunday.
He said as far as he knew, the legal costs for the number of suits involving Chinese education issues have exceeded RM1 million.
The scenario where opposing Chinese educationist groups would lock horns in million-ringgit legal cases is heart-rending and regrettable, he said.
It is simply unjustifiable that the Chinese community, which has been financing Chinese education year after year, now has to cough up more to pay for these irresponsible Chinese educationists' legal fees, he said, adding that it "doesn't augur well for the future of Chinese education".
Speaking to reporters after attending a winter solstice gathering of a Chinese guild in Seremban on Saturday, Pheng said Hua Zong wants to stress that it supports and would work with the main "Chinese education team" led by Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association) and Jiao Zong (United Chinese School Teachers Association) to protect and fight for the development of Chinese education.
He said the energy and money spent on these unnecessary legal wrangles should be better used to help advance Chinese education.