Start them early on human rights
JJ RayPublished: Aug 10, 2006 6:46 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
It is hard to fathom why our government is slow in implementing certain steps when they know fully well the need for those measures.
The call by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for universities to have human rights lessons is one such example. The call, made by commissioner Siva Subramaniam whilst urgent, is nevertheless long overdue.
Instead of universities, Suhakam should urge the government to start human rights lessons for students while they are in school. As human rights have a bearing on every facet of our life, becoming aware of it is never a case of too early.
It is hard to fathom why our government is slow in implementing certain steps when they know fully well the need for those measures.
The call by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for universities to have human rights lessons is one such example. The call, made by commissioner Siva Subramaniam whilst urgent, is nevertheless long overdue.
Instead of universities, Suhakam should urge the government to start human rights lessons for students while they are in school. As human rights have a bearing on every facet of our life, becoming aware of it is never a case of too early.
Siva's call notwithstanding, it is sad that the urgency of the call made was prompted not by the need to educate our students on issues pertaining to human rights per se but because of the heating racial sentiments taking place in Malaysia.
Siva was of the opinion that the scuffle at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) could have been prevented if the students were taught about human rights. Once human rights lesson were put in place at universities, Siva said it would help prevent incidents like that which took place in UPM.
The July 11 and 17 frays in UPM were revealed after a video recording surfaced. In the incidents, a big number of students from the pro-establishment camp (which is backed by the campus authorities) pushed and shoved students from their rival independent camp. On both occasions, the independent camp students were in the midst of setting up a help counter at the campus canteen to assist newly-enrolled students.
"Every university student must have a basic understanding about human rights and the consequences in transgressing them. Although human rights is a complex and wide topic, I believe with preparations and a better structure module, it can be effectively disseminated to the students," Siva had said at a press conference at Suhakam's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur post the UPM incidents.
The proposal, said Siva, had been relayed to Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamed during a recent meeting. And Suhakam would soon hold discussions with public universities regarding this issue.
Inaugural encounter
Learning about human rights should not be exclusive to students in universities. If Siva has his pulse on events taking place at the grassroots level, he will realise that lessons of human rights must start at the primary school where children have their inaugural encounter with events that have a bearing on human rights.
Depriving students at primary and secondary levels is only going to worsen the existing situation of our youngsters being ignorant about what constitutes human rights. Instead of targetting universities, Suhakam should fight for human rights lessons to make their debut in schools first and foremost. Underestimating the ability of our young students to grasp issues of human rights is our biggest folly.
Schools, colleges and universities must be fully aware of the reason behind the teaching of human rights to students. It should not be an exercise in futility like that which happened to the case of sex education in schools. Teachers must be non-partisan in educating young minds on the importance of respecting and upholding the tenets of human rights.
Verbalising human rights is not the answer. Teachers must have the courage to cite examples where human rights were trampled on, to enable students to realise the essence of what makes human rights.
Suhakam must be vigil that no propaganda is involved behind the teaching of human rights to students. Human rights must be realised and understood for what it is, without it being linked to an ulterior motive.
Siva by virtue of his former experience with National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) must surely be aware that issues of human rights are already visible among children as young as seven. Discrimination based on one's colour or family background are often ploys used by schoolchildren in winning or getting rid of friends. And such scenarios are evident at the primary level.
Students need to be taught about self-esteem and the need to stand up against any form of injustice and this can only be done if they are exposed to the basics of human rights and made to understand why human rights is important.
Siva's call that human rights be taught to university students failed to merit the urgency of this step except that it would help avoid future fracas at UPM and other universities. If this is the only justification for human rights to feature as a subject, it is sadly pretty shallow. Siva's call is nothing short of a knee-jerk reaction to the problem at hand and offering a piece-meal solution vis-a-vis human rights lessons is not going to have the necessary effects.
Better late than never
Perhaps better late than never but in this case, trying to raise awareness on human rights and what it entails might not yield the desired results, especially since there are no longer decent examples of preachers of human rights in the country. The opposition to Article 11 forums is one example. The call by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that Islam not be discussed due to the sensitivity that comes with this issue is a drawback that will hamper youngsters from building their faith in the human rights agenda.
If Suhakam and the government is serious in wanting to educate youngsters about human rights issues, it must take a good look at the developments around and determine just how sincerely they would want to educate youngsters about human rights. Maybe the government could take a cue from a recent national youth survey done by Merdeka Centre involving 1,505 young Malaysians aged between 18 and 32. The survey revealed that Malay youths are more inclined to help members of their own community first before helping others contrary to the attitudes of the Indians and Chinese youths who gave priority to helping members of other communities.
As human rights is all about acceptance, the survey has revealed another reason to worry. A big number of Malays, 61 percent think that the government's implementation of Islamic values and institution should remain at the current level. While another 34 percent of Malays think the government should implement more Islamic ideas by introducing the hudud law for Muslims.
The survey aside, introducing human rights lessons in schools and universities would mean opening up a space for honest discussion between teachers and students on just how far Malaysia has progressed on the ladder of human rights. Do not delude the youngsters about how the country has fared with the human rights issues. Unlike the issue of sex education which dragged on for over 10 years until the government decided to introduce it in schools due to the rising number of students contracting HIV, there should be no debate on whether students need to be taught about human rights. Reluctance of any sort in introducing this subject to students will only mean the government has something to hide. Does it?
JJ RAY started her career with a mainstream publication. A non-conformist, she soon saw the barriers that went up whenever, through her writing, she tried to make the world a home for one and all.
The call by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for universities to have human rights lessons is one such example. The call, made by commissioner Siva Subramaniam whilst urgent, is nevertheless long overdue.
Instead of universities, Suhakam should urge the government to start human rights lessons for students while they are in school. As human rights have a bearing on every facet of our life, becoming aware of it is never a case of too early.
Siva's call notwithstanding, it is sad that the urgency of the call made was prompted not by the need to educate our students on issues pertaining to human rights per se but because of the heating racial sentiments taking place in Malaysia.
Siva was of the opinion that the scuffle at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) could have been prevented if the students were taught about human rights. Once human rights lesson were put in place at universities, Siva said it would help prevent incidents like that which took place in UPM. The July 11 and 17 frays in UPM were revealed after a video recording surfaced. In the incidents, a big number of students from the pro-establishment camp (which is backed by the campus authorities) pushed and shoved students from their rival independent camp. On both occasions, the independent camp students were in the midst of setting up a help counter at the campus canteen to assist newly-enrolled students.
"Every university student must have a basic understanding about human rights and the consequences in transgressing them. Although human rights is a complex and wide topic, I believe with preparations and a better structure module, it can be effectively disseminated to the students," Siva had said at a press conference at Suhakam's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur post the UPM incidents.
The proposal, said Siva, had been relayed to Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamed during a recent meeting. And Suhakam would soon hold discussions with public universities regarding this issue.
Inaugural encounter
Learning about human rights should not be exclusive to students in universities. If Siva has his pulse on events taking place at the grassroots level, he will realise that lessons of human rights must start at the primary school where children have their inaugural encounter with events that have a bearing on human rights.
Depriving students at primary and secondary levels is only going to worsen the existing situation of our youngsters being ignorant about what constitutes human rights. Instead of targetting universities, Suhakam should fight for human rights lessons to make their debut in schools first and foremost. Underestimating the ability of our young students to grasp issues of human rights is our biggest folly.
Schools, colleges and universities must be fully aware of the reason behind the teaching of human rights to students. It should not be an exercise in futility like that which happened to the case of sex education in schools. Teachers must be non-partisan in educating young minds on the importance of respecting and upholding the tenets of human rights.
Verbalising human rights is not the answer. Teachers must have the courage to cite examples where human rights were trampled on, to enable students to realise the essence of what makes human rights.
Suhakam must be vigil that no propaganda is involved behind the teaching of human rights to students. Human rights must be realised and understood for what it is, without it being linked to an ulterior motive.
Siva by virtue of his former experience with National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) must surely be aware that issues of human rights are already visible among children as young as seven. Discrimination based on one's colour or family background are often ploys used by schoolchildren in winning or getting rid of friends. And such scenarios are evident at the primary level.
Students need to be taught about self-esteem and the need to stand up against any form of injustice and this can only be done if they are exposed to the basics of human rights and made to understand why human rights is important.
Siva's call that human rights be taught to university students failed to merit the urgency of this step except that it would help avoid future fracas at UPM and other universities. If this is the only justification for human rights to feature as a subject, it is sadly pretty shallow. Siva's call is nothing short of a knee-jerk reaction to the problem at hand and offering a piece-meal solution vis-a-vis human rights lessons is not going to have the necessary effects.
Better late than never
Perhaps better late than never but in this case, trying to raise awareness on human rights and what it entails might not yield the desired results, especially since there are no longer decent examples of preachers of human rights in the country. The opposition to Article 11 forums is one example. The call by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that Islam not be discussed due to the sensitivity that comes with this issue is a drawback that will hamper youngsters from building their faith in the human rights agenda.
If Suhakam and the government is serious in wanting to educate youngsters about human rights issues, it must take a good look at the developments around and determine just how sincerely they would want to educate youngsters about human rights. Maybe the government could take a cue from a recent national youth survey done by Merdeka Centre involving 1,505 young Malaysians aged between 18 and 32. The survey revealed that Malay youths are more inclined to help members of their own community first before helping others contrary to the attitudes of the Indians and Chinese youths who gave priority to helping members of other communities.
As human rights is all about acceptance, the survey has revealed another reason to worry. A big number of Malays, 61 percent think that the government's implementation of Islamic values and institution should remain at the current level. While another 34 percent of Malays think the government should implement more Islamic ideas by introducing the hudud law for Muslims.
The survey aside, introducing human rights lessons in schools and universities would mean opening up a space for honest discussion between teachers and students on just how far Malaysia has progressed on the ladder of human rights. Do not delude the youngsters about how the country has fared with the human rights issues. Unlike the issue of sex education which dragged on for over 10 years until the government decided to introduce it in schools due to the rising number of students contracting HIV, there should be no debate on whether students need to be taught about human rights. Reluctance of any sort in introducing this subject to students will only mean the government has something to hide. Does it?
JJ RAY started her career with a mainstream publication. A non-conformist, she soon saw the barriers that went up whenever, through her writing, she tried to make the world a home for one and all.
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