22 Malay NGOs to rally in support of Interlok
Published: Jan 13, 2011 7:12 PM | Updated: Jan 13, 2011 7:42 PM
The Federation of Malaysia National Writers Associations (Gapena) and 21 non-governmental organisations will hold a gathering this Saturday to protest against politicising of the Malay literature textbook Interlok .
'We will defend the writer and the novel's content and intentions,' Gapena chief Ismail Hussein says.
The Federation of Malaysia National Writers Associations (Gapena) and 21 non-governmental organisations will hold a gathering this Saturday to protest against politicising of the Malay literature textbook Interlok.
Gapena president Ismail Hussein said the gathering to be held in front of Rumah Gapena in Kuala Lumpur at 2.30pm, was to show unity among the Malays against any attempt by any quarters to politicise literary works to serve their own interest.
"We are against such politicising as Gapena champions Malay literature, and in this case (Interlok), it is a literary issue. We will defend the writer and the novel's content and intentions," he said at a press conference on the planned protest gathering.
Also present were Malaysia National Writers Association (Pena) president Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad and Gapena media head Borhan Md Zain.
Ismail said burning of copies of the textbook and photographs of the writer, national laureate Abdullah Hussain, in protest by a group of about 100 people in Klang recently, which could have been prompted by irresponsible statements made by certain politicians and community leaders, should not be viewed lightly.
"We are concerned about the questioning of the integrity of the author and his literary work, especially by politicians in a harsh tone, like they are trying to gain political mileage by purportedly looking after the interest of their community," he said.
Interlok, which was written in 1971, tells about the daily struggles of the Malays, Chinese and Indians from before the country's independence through the eyes of three main characters, Seman, Chin Huat and Maniam, and their families.
However, several individuals and Indian organisations have protested and want the novel banned due to certain words and phrases on pages 211 and 220 pertaining to the caste system which they deem offensive and inaccurate.
Mohamad Saleeh said Indian politicians and community leaders in this country should be wiser in handling such an issue by acting as peacemakers to calm the situation, instead of making statements that could create an unhealthy situation.
"We don't want this to happen after the prime minister in his statement yesterday asked the Indian community to select their representatives for a dialogue with the government on Interlok," he said.
According to Borhan, several NGOs had agreed to attend the gathering. They include Ikatan Persuratan Melayu dan Persatuan Kebajikan Penulis Negeri Selangor (Kemudi), Federation of Peninsula Malay Students (GPMS), Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Pekida) and Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), as well as a number of silat associations.
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Malay Language Educators Association (PPBMM) has called on the Education Ministry not to entertain calls by certain groups for Interlok to be withdrawn from the Form Five syllabus.
Its president Hashim Othman, when contacted, said withdrawing the book would prevent the younger generation from understanding and accepting the historical developments and social reality involving the country's three major races as depicted in the novel.
He also said that by entertaining the demand, a lot more issues would be raised or controversies created from old books or history books that contained certain disliked words or phrases in regard to the three communities.
He said the use of Interlok as a required school text was in line with the importance placed by the government on the History subject, including making it a must-pass subject in the SPM examination.
"Interlok was written to be read with an open, rational mind, and not to be burned to fire up negative emotions," said the Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer, referring to the book burning incident.
- Bernama
Gapena president Ismail Hussein said the gathering to be held in front of Rumah Gapena in Kuala Lumpur at 2.30pm, was to show unity among the Malays against any attempt by any quarters to politicise literary works to serve their own interest.
"We are against such politicising as Gapena champions Malay literature, and in this case (Interlok), it is a literary issue. We will defend the writer and the novel's content and intentions," he said at a press conference on the planned protest gathering.
Also present were Malaysia National Writers Association (Pena) president Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad and Gapena media head Borhan Md Zain.
Ismail said burning of copies of the textbook and photographs of the writer, national laureate Abdullah Hussain, in protest by a group of about 100 people in Klang recently, which could have been prompted by irresponsible statements made by certain politicians and community leaders, should not be viewed lightly.
"We are concerned about the questioning of the integrity of the author and his literary work, especially by politicians in a harsh tone, like they are trying to gain political mileage by purportedly looking after the interest of their community," he said.
Interlok, which was written in 1971, tells about the daily struggles of the Malays, Chinese and Indians from before the country's independence through the eyes of three main characters, Seman, Chin Huat and Maniam, and their families.
However, several individuals and Indian organisations have protested and want the novel banned due to certain words and phrases on pages 211 and 220 pertaining to the caste system which they deem offensive and inaccurate.
Mohamad Saleeh said Indian politicians and community leaders in this country should be wiser in handling such an issue by acting as peacemakers to calm the situation, instead of making statements that could create an unhealthy situation.
"We don't want this to happen after the prime minister in his statement yesterday asked the Indian community to select their representatives for a dialogue with the government on Interlok," he said.
According to Borhan, several NGOs had agreed to attend the gathering. They include Ikatan Persuratan Melayu dan Persatuan Kebajikan Penulis Negeri Selangor (Kemudi), Federation of Peninsula Malay Students (GPMS), Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Pekida) and Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), as well as a number of silat associations.
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Malay Language Educators Association (PPBMM) has called on the Education Ministry not to entertain calls by certain groups for Interlok to be withdrawn from the Form Five syllabus.
Its president Hashim Othman, when contacted, said withdrawing the book would prevent the younger generation from understanding and accepting the historical developments and social reality involving the country's three major races as depicted in the novel.
He also said that by entertaining the demand, a lot more issues would be raised or controversies created from old books or history books that contained certain disliked words or phrases in regard to the three communities.
He said the use of Interlok as a required school text was in line with the importance placed by the government on the History subject, including making it a must-pass subject in the SPM examination.
"Interlok was written to be read with an open, rational mind, and not to be burned to fire up negative emotions," said the Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer, referring to the book burning incident.
- Bernama
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