‘Interlok’ panel to meet over amendments on Feb 16

The independent panel established to look into amending sensitive parts of the “Interlok” novel used as a Form Five literature textbook is to meet on February 16, Director-General of Education Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud said today.

He said the panel would consider the appropriate amendments and submit its recommendations to the government soon.

“The independent panel of eight people comprises linguists, academicians, literary experts and representatives from the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and the Indian community,” he said in a statement.

On January 27, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said “Interlok” would continue to be used as the literature component of the Bahasa Malaysia subject for Form Five students in Zone 2 covering Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

However, the government has agreed to amend the parts regarded as sensitive by the Indian community.

The novel, written by national laureate Datuk Abdullah Hussain, sparked controversy following the Education Ministry’s decision to use it as a literature textbook, as it is deemed to contain passages regarded as sensitive to the Indian community in the country.

The issue was picked up by many quarters, including non-governmental organisations and political parties, which alleged that the book contained elements of racism while others defended it as a novel depicting the theme of integration of the country’s three major races in the period from 1900 to independence in 1957.

Muhyiddin held discussions with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and MIC President Datuk G. Palanivel and MIC Deputy President Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam to find a solution.

A consensus was reached to retain the novel as a literature textbook but with amendments to the parts regarded as sensitive. – Bernama