Potential donors for the promotion of education are welcome to directly contribute to non-profit organisations like Dong Zong, according to its chairman Quek Suan Hiang.

Quek said today that Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia) welcomed the public to donate for the cause of education and other charities which are not governed by any "personal or profit interest".

Quek told malaysiakini this when commenting on the Chang Min Thien Education Fund, which was ordered by the Kuala Lumpur High Court last Saturday to return its RM10 million to General Holding, a company owned by Chang's family, following a suit filed by the latter in November 1991.

Philanthropist-businessman Chang Min Thien signed an agreement with Multi-Purpose Holding in 1980, entrusting the company to manage the fund under a Board of Trustees which comprised top MCA leaders but in the past 20 years, the fund was never utilised to benefit any needy students ([#1]Fund trustees must explain 'scandal'[/#], Oct 3).

DAP publicity chief Ronnie Liu yesterday called on MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik and other trustees of the fund to explain the scandalous situation that not a single student had been assisted by the fund.

"This is a blatant breach of trust ... How could the public believe and trust MCA again (with regard to) any fund-raising programmes in future?" Liu stated.

However, Dong Zong's Quek declined to comment on whether it is wise to donate to a political party for any education fund, adding that he is not clear about the development of the fund in the past 20 years.

He also could not recall any firm promise by MCA to use the fund to help Dong Zong.

Helping independent schools

Sin Chew Jit Poh reported last Sunday that MCA treasurer and Chang Min Thien Fund Planning Committee chief William Chek had announced in 1991 that they planned to allocate money from the fund to help Chinese independent high schools annually, but with the approval from the party chief Dr Ling.

According to an MCA source, the Chang Min Thien scholarship fund has let down many people, especially the Chinese community and Dong Zong to whom MCA had offered financial assistance from the fund ([#2]MCA treasurer's offer to resign shatters calm[/#], Oct 3).

The initial fund of RM10 million had accumulated to about RM17 million with the interest added on by 1990, and should have reached about RM30 million to date, said the source.

Also, Dong Zong chief executive officer Bock Tai Hee, told malaysiakini today that MCA had never promised to use the Chang Min Thien fund to help Dong Zong.

However, before the1995 general elections, MCA had donated some money to help independent Chinese high schools through Dong Zong, Bock added.