Press Statement: Interlok – 10th March 2011
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Press Statement
10thMarch 2011
GOPIO Malaysia condemns any moves to retain the novel Interlok in the secondary schools. GOPIO insists that there is nothing to amend, change and alter in the novel. It is a cheap novel that should not be in the school curriculum in the first place.
That an independent panel was established to study this issue raised doubts in GOPIO members and especially among the Indian and Chinese people. That the panel was another eyewash process to retain the Education ministry’s insistence on continuing with their dictate to use the novel as a compulsory read, was suspect from the start.
It is very disturbing that the independent panel, looking into the use of the novel Interlock as a school text, has recommend amendments to the book. Meaning, the book will continue as compulsory read. That the novel is racially derogatory and stereotyping is beyond doubt. The content is cheap stuff for a cheap novel. There is nothing to laud about the book as a literary work.
It is an irony that some senior political leaders in the government are still insisting on using the book as a compulsory text in secondary school. While the Prime Minister declares that the time of ‘government knows best’ is over and that the public will judge for itself the quality of elected leaders, why is it that the Education Minister is bending backwards to retain the book as compulsory for the secondary school?
To belief that it is a political survival issue, is definitely not correct. It is the responsibility of the political leaders to explain to their constituency, their voters, of what is correct, and what is good for the people and for the nation. That the novel Interlock is definitely not right, is no rocket science. A good Politician will stand up to deny the numerous implied claims on the derogatory characterization of the Malaysian people.
All political leaders in Malaysia, without exception, has a responsibility to demonstrate their stand and views on the novel Interlok issue. Wishy washing will benefit no one. To decry the retention of the book at a later stage, will be crying over spilt milk. The novel is cause for inter racial damages and will be more intense and even more harmful.
Just like the former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir claiming now that it is not unpatriotic for school children to study or practice using English, it is a bit late in the day for him to comment. For, it was during his long years of watch of the country, as the longest serving Prime Minister, there was a willful or due to his ignorance of his national responsibilities, the learning of English was pushed out, as being unpatriotic. Tun Mahathir, now to champion English in school is not going to be fashionable.
Similarly, sooner or latter the book Interlok will be removed from all schools, and it will not be possible for the current political leaders, to claim that the Interlok book was an error.
Selvarajoo Sundram,
President,GOPIO Malaysia.
Office: 03-227-24677, HP: 016-274-2670
Email: secretariat@gopio.org.my
Download Pdf version: Click Here
GOPIO or Global Organization of People of Indian Origin is a non sectarian global organization for the 28 million PIO’s spread around the world in about 100 countries. GOPIO Malaysia is one of the promoter and founding member of GOPIO International
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Filed Under: Human Rights
