HINDRAF WARNS UMNO GOVERNMENT ON THE INTERLOK ISSUE

The racist UMNO led government is causing great alarm and concern over its never ending agenda to create further disunity between the races in Malaysia with their sanction of the fictional and racially slanted “Interlok” novel as compulsory study material for Form Five students. The Novel will not create unity and understanding among multi racial students. On the contrary it will plant seeds of hatred, contempt, mistrust, ill will and hostility amongst student population in secondary schools. No rational Government would sanction a novel for study in schools, which contains demeaning and degrading elements about certain sections of its own society.

Malaysian Indians have been voicing their clear disapproval over this novel yet all the UMNO government will do is to dialogue endlessly with their mandores. This is a typical delay tactic of UMNO. In the interim, students in Form 5 are compelled to read and study this racially tainted book and UMNO ultimately hopes to sweep the issue under the carpet and yet again proceed with their agenda.

Curriculum philosophy should be one that contributes to the holistic development of the individual (mental, emotional, physical and spiritual) by imparting knowledge and skills, fostering healthy attitudes and instilling accepted moral values. This fictitious and seditious “Interlok” novel on the other hand will contribute to producing bigoted attitudes in our young.

HINDRAF warns the UMNO led Government against inciting and planting this most undesirable attitude amongst students and urges the Cabinet, which is sitting on Wednesday the 26^th January 2011 to immediately withdraw the controversial Novel from the form 5 curriculum.

HINDRAF will not hesitate to file a Peoples’ Civil Action with at least 1000 Plaintiffs to take the Government to Court to seek a declaration that it is implanting yet more seeds of hatred amongst students and seek the withdrawal of the book from the form 5 syllabuses.

HINDRAF is equally disappointed with the de-facto leader of PR, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim for openly saying the Novel does not contain any racial elements. http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=555776 and with the other PR leaders for remaining completely silent on this very important issues of our multiracial nation.

If the Cabinet decides not to withdraw this book, then HINDRAF has planned a campaign to mobilise thousands of our supporters both local and International to force the issue.

“Rights not Mercy”

P.Waytha Moorthy

HINDRAF.