Textbook row threatens to stir up Tenang polls
Aggrieved with government persistence in not removing the novel Interlok from the Form 5 literature curriculum, an Indian organisation has threatened to scuttle Barisan Nasional’ s plans for the Tenang polls.
Their main grouse against the book written by national laureate Abdullah Hussein is what they perceive as the incorrect depiction of as the Indian community, especially where the caste system is concerned and the use of the word pariah.
So to vent their feelings, their plans include launching a protest in Putrajaya and in Johor Bahru as well as fielding an independent candidate for the Tenang by-election scheduled for next month.
In delivering the ultimatum, the Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisations’ former president and current information chief AP Raja Retinam said the book is against the spirit of 1Malaysia, and should be removed from the shelves.
“The government and the Education Ministry seem to be steadfast in maintaining the book as part of the literature textbook for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia. We are upset as the book provides an incorrect depiction of the Indian community, especially on the caste system and the pariah word being used.
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