![\"\"](\"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/intelok.jpg\" "\\"intelok\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nInterlok in its totality propagates the ideology of Ketuanan Melayu. In our considered opinion, this novel is not only unhealthy but an insidious poison.<\/p>\n
In fact, Interlok is barely a step away from the Biro Tata Negara brainwashing that promotes racism and disunity. Interlok conveys the central message that Chinese, Indian and other minorities are second-class citizens in addition to perpetuating the divisive notion of a host community (the Malays) versus foreigners (\u201cbangsa asing\u201d Cina dan India). Not so subtly, Interlok intends to put the Chinese and Indians in their place as \u201cpendatang\u201d, and validating a social hierarchy according to ethnic origin.<\/p>\n
Not only offensive to Indians, Interlok portrays the Chinese in the most derogatory manner too. Kim Lock is depicted as a miserly opium addict and callous adulterer while his son Cing Huat is painted as cunning, greedy, unscrupulous and someone who would happily sell his daughters.<\/p>\n
A major thread of the plot has the Chinese character cheating and oppressing the Malay character. Other Chinese characters such as the communist guerrillas are nasty and immoral, and the Malayan People\u2019s Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) comprising Chinese recruits is demonized by the author.<\/p>\n
For the sake of a harmonious multi-ethnic society, all textbooks approved by Education Ministry must not allow slurs that hurt the sensitivities of the various communities to be uttered with impunity. State-endorsed literature should rightly promote contemporary progressive values such as democracy, freedom, equality and human rights. Living in Malaysia of the 21st century, we ought to advocate Ketuanan Rakyat instead of sponsoring a parochial and narrow ethnic hegemony.<\/p>\n
As early as the 1950s, renowned Chinese educationist Lim Lian Geok had already framed the realisation that \u201ceach ethnic group has undeniably contributed to the development of this land. We must treat all as belonging to the same family and on equal footing in terms of rights and responsibilities\u201d.<\/p>\n
Interlok does not comply with the guidelines set by the Education Ministry. The National Interlok Action Team (NIAT) has pointed out that its contents violate five out of six criteria outlined by the KBSM textbook guidelines. The Education Ministry has not yet given a satisfactory explanation as to why Interlok managed to pass the bureaucratic gatekeepers.<\/p>\n Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin recently announced that the government has agreed to amend 19 words\/passages found to be sensitive. Nonetheless, that the Interlok review panel has had to suggest a total of 106 changes only go to show how problematic the novel is. Furthermore, the withdrawal in protest of the three Indian panellists serves to discredit the Ministry\u2019s proposed resolution to the issue.<\/p>\n Hence as a way out of the impasse, we urge the authorities to substitute Interlok with other material more suitable for use in the classroom.<\/p>\n Our stand is that we respect the author Abdullah Hussain\u2019s freedom of expression and we do not object to his novel being sold in the bookshops. We do not ask either for the unabridged original version to be edited or censored although we welcome its critical appraisal by discerning adults. But the upshot is Interlok should not be a textbook in school.<\/p>\n For the long-term, we recommend the government to institute a more transparent and stringent mechanism for the vetting of school textbooks. It should consider appointing respected academics, authors and eminent public figures from the various ethnic groups to sit on the panel to ensure a balanced feedback and equitable participation.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n