TITAS subject not a threat

According to the Ministry of Education, countries such as the US offer the compulsory subjects to students in higher education institutes.

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Education (MOE) is insisting that the claim by certain quarters that Islamic Civilisation And Asian Civilisation (TITAS) contains Islamic elements thus unsuitable for non-Muslim students is inaccurate.

Higher Education Department director-general Prof Dr Morshidi Sirat said via the subject, the students are given space to get to learn about the civilisation of ethnic groups in Malaysia.

“The education system abroad such as the United States also offer compulsory subjects to local and international students in higher education institutions,” he said in a statement here yesterday.

The ministry also clarified that TITAS not only contains Islamic civilisation but also the Malay, Chinese, Indian and civilizations of  the future.

The offer of TITAS in Public Higher Education Institutions (IPTA) aims to expose students to civilisations in the Malaysian environment that have contributed to the identity, character and value system practised in Malaysia.

Morshidi said TITAS had existed since 2006 in IPTA and is a compulsory subject for all Malay, Chinese, Indian and Bumiputera students of Sabah and Sarawak.

Students who learnt the subject did not face any problems including the non-Muslim students who also obtained excellent results.

He said certain quarters fear the use of the Malay language in TITAS learning would cause problems for local students who did not follow the Malaysian education system.

“In this regard, the innovative and creative teaching methods and the use of technology can overcome these concerns,” he added.

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday said that government efforts to make TITAS a compulsory subject for students in Private Higher Education Institutions (IPTS) would not convert non-Muslim students to Islam.

-Bernama