NIAT (National Interlok Action Team)

By CPI

Many Malaysians are not aware of NIAT and Hartal MSM, among two NGOs that have been in the forefront of civil society opposition to the use of Interlok as a compulsory Bahasa Melayu SPM text. Through a combination of hard research and public consciousness-raising actions, these two civil society organizations have shown the way forward in challenging various government policies that are not in the public interest.


There is a need for other civil society organizations in the country to emulate the example set by NIAT and Hartal MSM. There is a need to learn from and be inspired by their commitment to ensuring that racism does not become embedded in our society.

Their determination to stand up against the powerful political and bureaucratic forces working to undermine our liberal and democratic way of life is especially admirable. Their struggle is one against an entrenched and authoritarian system that is all too ready to employ the state apparatus in all its permutations to coerce or co-opt dissident voices into silence and passivity.

CPI is sharing with our readers excerpts from their various postings. We hope that you will not only visit their websites but also support the cause too.

NIAT, which represents the Indian NGOs, is giving a briefing to the Backbenchers Club in Parliament today. They had earlier on March 21 briefed Pakatan Rakyat MPs. The Chinese ground however remains woefully ignorant about the repercussions of Interlok remaining in the syllabus.

NIAT (National Interlok Action Team)

Chairman   - Dato’ Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Haj (Religious, Social & Language Activist)
Secretariat  - Mr Arun Dorasamy
Asst:          -Mr Krishna Subramaniam & Mr Tanabalan Egamaran

Malaysia Hindu Sangam

Leaders

Dr Suppiah - President, Federation of Indian NGOs (Representing more than 150 Indian NGOs)

Dr Bala Tharmalingam - Deputy President, Malaysia Hindu Sangam

Rev. Henry Sandanam - President, Association of Tamil Pastors and Christians Fellowship of Malaysia (TPCFM)

Mr Rajaretnam Armuggan - President, Persatuan Progresif India Malaysia (MIPAS)

Mr Kishur Goonasaran - President, Malaysian Indian Student Association (MISA)

Mr Barathidasan Saminathan - Secretary General, Persatuan Progressif India Malaysia (MIPAS)

Mr A. Murali - Chairman, Tamilan Uthavum Karangal

Mr Alegesan Batumalai - Vice President, Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MIYC)

Mr S. Gobi Krishnan - Secretary General, Malaysian Indian Arts, Culture and Heritage Organization (MIACHO)

Mr Uthaya Sankar SB - Presiden, Kumpulan Sasterawan Kayvan


*Footnote: NIAT represents more then half a million Malaysian actively and millions more silently.

Executive summary

NIAT (National Interlok Action Team): Withdraw Interlok from the schools based on our 900 man-hours research findings and the public outcry against the novel’s content which touches the sensitivity of ALL Malaysians in many respects.

This report is filed under five main classifications.

Interlok is against:
•Islam & other religious teachings
•the Ministry’s technical guidelines (falsafah pendidikan negara, BBT, DBP)
•racial integration: Insults Malay, Chinese & Indians
•1Malaysia policy of the Prime Minister
•human rights & the UN Charter

NIAT has compared Interlok’s core content, literal meaning (maksud tersurat), implied meaning (maksud tersirat) and literary value against the current philosophy and other ministerial guidelines as illustrated below:

•Panduan Penulisan Buku Teks KBSM is a detailed guideline for textbooks. Interlok failed to meet the criteria set forth by the bureau. It came to our knowledge that the Education Ministry’s textbook bureau advised the curriculum development department (BPK) to further edit the book to comply with guidelines. However, at this point we are unable to corroborate the information with written evidence. (Refer to Page 8 of our report)

Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka’s literature department has its criteria to assist the selection of literature deemed to reflect Malaysia’s history and modern societies. Interlok failed to meet five criteria out of six set by DBP. The agency’s selection process is the first level of filtration before any novel is shortlisted to be used as educational material. (Ref. p.7)

Falsafah Pendidikan Negara is the vision of our late premier Tun Abdul Razak through his national education philosophy contained in Penyata Razak. Interlok fails to meet his aspiration. (Ref. p.10)

•NIAT researched Interlok based on four classifications –
(i) Derogatory words/phrases and passages
(ii) Factual errors
(iii) Wrong portrayal of religion and
(iv) Wrong portrayal of culture

Derogatory portrayal

The characterization, incidents, choice of words and storyline are very derogatory (explicitly and implicitly) of the Malay (bangsa malas), Chinese (will do anything for money), Indian (low-caste community) and Caucasian (syaitan putih). Interlok’s metaphors comparing the certain characters to babi, anjing, kambing, its name calling Cina Panjang, Indo kuai, Malai kuai and its use of the word ‘pariah’ is unacceptable. (Refer to Page 13 of our report for details)

Factual errors
Interlok contains many obvious and arguably factual errors on the basis of historical reflection, sociological facts and geographical references. (Ref. p.15)

Religious deviance:
Interlok has a Muslim family believing in tangkal, dukun, chanting mantera and indulging in spirit worship. As to the Hindus, the author misrepresents the circumambulation seven times around fire at the Indian wedding ceremony, associates caste with Hinduism and confuses Brahma-Trinity God with Brahman/Brahmin. (Ref. p.19)

Cultural misquotes:
Indian wedding culture: Nalangu ceremony, thali, disrespectfully calling a husband by his personal name, “sucikan wang dengan air suci” as if money is received from lower-caste people is tainted, ‘Lembu Tua’ as sign of good luck. (Ref. p.20)

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. has wisely reminded mankind that no one is superior or inferior because of his ethnic or ancestral background. Yet Interlok concludes that:
•Malays are lazy and backward
•Chinese are materialistic, liars, will do anything for money or to get rich, hate Malays
•Indians are low caste, have no culture, an inferior race, coolies
Do we want our children to learn such stereotypes? Do we really need this novel in schools? Tepuk dada tanya selera.

Website:www.myniat.com/ e-mail: Niat.secretariat@gmail.com