KUALA LUMPUR: A single school system is the answer to the quest for unity, but only if teachers go the extra mile to encourage students of various races to interact with one another.
That was the collective opinion of participants at the 1Malaysia Foundation’s conference on “Living in a Multi-Ethnic Society” at the Securities Commission yesterday.
The session, which was moderated by foundation trustee and AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, had participants discussing what helps and what hinders the unity of Malaysians.
“Most are for a one-school system but Chinese and Indian parents continue to send their children to vernacular schools because there are teachers who sabotage the success of national schools, such as making racist remarks which are being highlighted by the press,” said Fernandes.
“We should create a school that focuses on nurturing the strengths of all races. People are in favour of having a one-school system but how sure can they be that certain races won’t be victimised?”
Participants also lamented that concentrations of specific races in residential areas also contributed to certain schools having a lack of students from other communities.
A panel consisting of television hosts Azura Zainal and Daphne Iking, and businessman Anas Zubedy, moderated by foundation trustee Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, agreed that inter-racial mixing had been limited by a lack of effort.
“Teachers and parents are not doing enough to get children to mix with one another.
“There should be a special class for students to learn about each other’s culture, and teachers and parents should lead by example in teaching children about acceptance and unity,” said Azura.
On the role of the media in uniting people, Azura said television shows did not address the issue of unity among youths.
“It’s always about singing and dancing competitions. Why not have a junior version of the Oprah Winfrey Show where youths can talk about their ideas on unity and experiences in school?”
Iking said filmmakers and producers should not assume that the masses were turned off by serious subjects.
1Malaysia Foundation trustee and 8TV chief executive officer Ahmad Izham Omar said negative perceptions of races took root before one even entered school.
“It’s not really the schools or the media but what happens between the ages of zero and 12. It’s about what parents say to their children.
“It’s easy to talk about unity to people who already believe in 1Malaysia. It’s harder to bring it to the masses who don’t.”
Anas said it was sad that there were Malaysians who did not appreciate the diversity of the nation’s people. “There are people who pay and fly far to hear the sounds of temple drums, the azan and Chinese opera while there are those who curse whenever they hear these things.”
