SHOCKING CLAIM: Students being used to propagate Islam in schools

The contentious issue of conversions has been given a new twist by allegations being investigated by Putrajaya’s unity council that Muslim students are being used to propagate subtly Islam to their non-Muslim peers in secondary schools.

Sources in the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) said the claims were raised by a non-Muslim religious head at a dialogue with the council last month and were being investigated.

"We are verifying the claim," the source told The Malaysian Insider.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source, who is a member of the NUCC, said the council would have to first determine if there was a basis to the claim.

"This is a serious allegation and we have to do some checking," the source said.

He said if the allegations were found to have basis, the NUCC would address the issue in its interim report to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The council, tasked with finding ways to stem racial and religious discord in country, has held unity dialogues with the public and civil society throughout the country since it was formed last November and is expected to submit a preliminary report on its findings to Najib next month.

"We are mindful that no religion should be propagated in whatever form to others in schools as the faith of students below the age of 18 is to be decided by the parents," the source said.

The allegations were raised by Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) president Datuk R.S. Mohan Shan at a dialogue chaired by NUCC chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman recently.

Mohan was in the delegation from the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) which had met NUCC members.

Mohan, who is also a MCCBCHST vice-president, said he found out that one school had set a provocative question in an Islamic Studies paper last year.

The question, he said, was "What are the ways to convert your friends?" (Cara-cara mengislamkan kawan-kawan anda).

Secondary schools are the ideal place to inculcate national unity and harmony among students who come from different races, religions, languages and cultures, says a religious leader.

"The school would not have framed such a question if that agenda is not part of the syllabus in Islamic Studies," he told The Malaysian Insider.

It is compulsory for Muslim students to sit for Islamic Studies while non-Muslims must opt for Moral Studies.

"The NUCC members were surprised and pledged to look into the matter and possibly raise in its interim report," Mohan said.

Mohan said he first raised the matter at a MCCBCHST executive council meeting and later before a cabinet committee to promote inter-religious harmony and understanding.

The committee, which was set up by the PM’s Department, comprised of MCCBCHST leaders, Muslims religious leaders and Muslim NGO representatives.

Mohan said he took every opportunity to bring up the matter as secondary schools were the ideal place to inculcate national unity and harmony among students who come from different races, religions, languages and cultures.

"The authorities cannot subtly use Muslim students to influence their non-Muslim counterparts with the intention to convert them.”

Mohan also said Moral Studies for non-Muslim students should be scrapped to allow them learn about their religions during school hours.

"All non-Muslim students must be allowed to learn about their religions that promote universal moral and ethical values.”

He said that in the early days after Merdeka, Malaysians learnt about the history of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity but they remained steadfast in their respective religions.

"In fact, we knew about each other better in and outside school," he added. –TMI