No Element Of Racism In Civics Courses – Zahid Hamidi
(Bernama) — The courses conducted by the Biro Tatanegara (BTN) or National Civics Bureau do not contain any element of racism, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
He said he had attended many of these courses and had also been an instructor himself.
“I do not see any element of racism there,” he told reporters after the signing of contracts by Armed Forces football players for the 2010 Malaysia League, here.
Saying that it was the right of the Selangor government to prohibit its civil servants and students of its tertiary institutions from attending the courses, Dr Ahmad Zahid said the ban could be due to anxiety of the opposition leaders over the people’s support in the state.
“They are apparently afraid of the people losing confidence in their leadership,” he said.
The Selangor government yesterday announced that it was barring state civil servants, students in state-run higher learning institutions and employees of state government-linked companies from attending courses organised by the BTN, effective immediately, allegedly because they were an indoctrination process and smacked of racism.
Dr Ahmad Zahid said Selangor executive councillor Datuk Hassan Ali himself had been a BTN director-general, but the question of racism did not arise during his tenure.
He also spoke on the appointment of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the economic advisor to the Selangor government, and said it was a cause of waning support for the state government.
“Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has expertise in the economic field, and he does not have to appoint Anwar. This is assuming of authority by Anwar,” he said.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Ahmad Maslan said the Selangor government’s decision would deny the opportunity for the relevant civil servants and students to learn more about the country and its policies. “BTN has never belittled any community.
The subject matter is associated with the Federal Constitution and the concept of unity in a plural society,” he said in a statement.
Ahmad said the knowledge and information disseminated at the courses were from historical facts and data garnered from relevant agencies and experts, and the syllabus involved training based on noble values aimed at making the participants citizens who could contribute to nation-building.
The participants were at liberty to offer their views and express their criticism and stand on issues, he added.
“The people have to understand the policies which shape nation-building. The 1Malaysia concept supports the Federal Constitution and the spirit of patriotism regardless of ideology because they are fundamental to the success of Vision 2020 (of moulding Malaysia into a developed nation),” he said.
