A Gerakan leader says the Interlok novel and slanted history textbooks have no room in the prime minister's reform and transformation agenda.
GEORGE TOWN: The government should immediately remove the controversial Interlok novel from school syllabus in line with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s reform and transformation agenda.
In making this call, Gerakan local leader Baljit Singh said the government should also review and revamp contents of school history text books to reflect the real history of Malaysia.
He also said the Education Ministry should allow school students an option to learn Mathematics and Science subjects in either English, Bahasa Malaysia or in their respective mother tongues.
He stressed that it would be embarrassingly hypocritical if on one hand Najib announced the abolishment of certain draconian laws while on the other, his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin were to retain Interlok in schools. Muhyiddin is also the education minister.
Acknowledge contributions of all races
Baljit, who heads the Penang Gerakan’s legal and human rights bureau, said the government had to be consistent, uniformed, sincere and honest in carrying out real reforms and transformations.
He pointed out that the novel was against the spirit and concept of Najib’s 1Malaysia aspiration.
“Interlok is perceived as containing disparaging remarks about non-Malays. It should not be taught in schools. All Malaysians should be made to feel at home in Malaysia,” he told FMT.
Baljit was also disenchanted that the new secondary school history books contained overwhelming propagation of one particular ethnic group and religion.
He could not understand the reasons behind the Education Ministry’s over-emphasis on the Islamic religion, Arabic civilisation and Malay contributions to the nation, while conveniently ignoring contributions from other sources.
He pointed out that Najib had claimed that the Internal Security Act would be repealed because the federal government had listened to the people’s call for greater democracy.
He said under a greater democracy concept, all contributions by other ethnic groups, religions, civilizations and languages should not be overlooked and concealed from history books.
“Our history books today definitely contradict the 1Malaysia concept, propagating a particular ethnic politics and religious views.
“History books shall contain only truthful historical facts, not distorted facts and lies. School textbooks should never be politicised or racially bias,” he said.
Similarly, he said in a greater democracy, the government must uphold the rights to freedom of education by allowing school children to choose the language of instruction for Mathematics and Science.
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