Public feedback to be sought on history 'revamp'

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said members of the public and stakeholders will be invited to give their feedback on the revamped history curriculum once the committee members tasked with doing so have completed the draft.  

Muhyiddin said the revamp “is not a major exercise” but a “small” one, and will be carried out to enhance the content of the history curriculum and add materials on recent developments.

The ministry has identified the 14 persons who will meet for the first time “soon”, but their names will only be announced later, said Muhyiddin.

They are historians and history lecturers from local universities, he added.

“We will engage with the stake holders and society, who are interested (in giving their opinions),” said Muhyiddin.

"I have no problem with giving them a chance to voicing their opinions," he added, saying this would prevent accusations that the ministry was excluding any quarters and being unfair.

Muhyiddin also said the demands made by certain groups relating to the history curriculum would be looked into by the committee.

He stressed, however, that the ministry had certain principles to follow in the issue.

Muhyiddin had last October announced that history would be made compulsory for SPM students to pass starting 2013 in order to qualify for tertiary education.

He had also said emphasis would be made on the formation of Malaysia and the federal constitution.

Following concerns voiced by non-Malay groups that the revamp of the history syllabus would see the marginalisation of the contribution of the non-Malay communities to nation-building, Muhyiddin said no “political considerations” played a part in the decision.