BTN taught students to be critical, says Umno Youth man
(fz.com) – The National Civics Bureau (BTN), criticised by many for propagating racial hatred, was defended today as an institution which instilled positive values among its participants.
Speaking of his own experience, Umno Youth exco member Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said the BTN sessions were a platform for him and his fellow university colleagues to learn to be critical.
“During my time, in the 1990s, it was for us to see who can come up with more provocative statements than our lecturers.
“It taught us not to leave behind those who are lagging or weak, but to bring them along with us together,” he said during a forum today on Kuasa Politik Mahasiswa (The Political Power of Undergraduates) organised by Sinar Harian newspaper.
The forum, moderated by Prof Datuk Mohamad Abu Bakar of Universiti Malaya, was attended by some 150 people.
Other panelists were Universiti Teknologi Malaysia geo-strategist Prof Dr Azmi Hassan, Seri Setia state assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Malaysian Youth Council deputy president Muammar Ghadafi Jamal and Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam (Gamis) president Azan Safar.
Tun Faisal, speaking in his capacity as former student activist at Universiti Sains Malaysia, told a press conference later that BTN remained true to its purpose.
“Until now, it still maintains its purpose to explain government policies to students so that they can be critical,” he reiterated.
