The special committee to look into the use of the novel ‘Interlok’ as a textbook for the literature component of the Bahasa Malaysia subject for Form Five, has completed its report and will forward it to the cabinet either tomorrow or next week, Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said.

He said the report was prepared following the cabinet's directive that a study be carried out on the novel by National Laureate, Abdullah Hussain, due to the controversy it created.

Speaking to reporters after declaring open the Annual International Quranic Conference here today, Mohd Puad said the study, carried out by the committee headed by Education director-general Abdul Ghafar Mahmud, took into account the views and feedback from Indian academicians and writers.

The committee also met Abdullah in the course of their work, he said.

The move to make the novel a literature textbook caused controversy when several quarters claimed that it contained elements deemed offensive to the Indian community, particularly the scene depicted in pages 211 and 220.

On the burning of the book by a group of people in Klang on Sunday, Mohd Puad said it was due to the action of certain quarters who resorted to politicising the matter.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Writers (Pena) and 12 non-government organisations today called on the government not to give in to the call to withdraw the book.

The call was spelled out in a memorandum submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the education minister today.

Be firmed, says PTA

Pena president Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad handed over the memorandum to Education Deputy director-general Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof, at the ministry at 3pm.

The same memorandum was also submitted to Prime Minister Najib Razak shortly after.

Mohamad Saleeh said the choice of the novel as a textbook should not be questioned as it had undergone a fair assessment and had been looked into from various aspects.

"We don't want this issue to drag on because it might invite provocative reactions from other groups," he said, adding that the book did not contain any offensive elements.

Meanwhile, National Parent-Teacher Association Council president Mohamad Ali Hasan said the novel should remain a textbook.

"To me, the issue arises out of desires to gain political mileage. This should not be politicised," he said, adding that the ministry should be firm in its stand in not withdrawing the book.

- Bernama