PAS Youth has proposed several solutions to resolve the predicament over national laureate Abdullah Hussain's controversial textbook Interlok.

NONE The movement’s information chief Suhaizan Kaiat ( left ) said in a statement today PAS had, discussions with representatives of several literature associations and the Indian community, come to an agreement on several amendments that could be made instead of withdrawing the book from schools.

The proposed suggestions, Suhaizan said, should be implemented by a panel of cultural experts spearheaded by the government and the Indian community, as well as with the agreement of the author.

“The discussions held were to reinforce the fact that the burning of the novel is unreasonable action, which could lead to disharmony among the races,” Suhaizan said.

The novel 'Interlok', introduced into the Form 5 Malay literature syllabus, has triggered protests from the country’s Indian community over its use of the word 'pariah', which Indians consider offensive.

'Gov’t must be transparent'

Among the suggestions were to include a commentary on the matter as an appendix in the textbook, as well as a glossary to make clear explanations.

Another was for the panel to discuss 'reasonable' amendments to novel with its author.

“There will also be a meeting with the education ministry soon, where wel will submit our proposals to the government,” said Suhaizan, who moderated the forum attended by 20 cultural experts in Bangi yesterday.

Contacted today, he said it was the onus of the government to set up a panel to implement the changes.

“We have completed our work,” he said.

Asked the appropriateness of the PAS forum when the ministry had set up its own panel to look into the issue, Suhaizan said, “The problem is we do not know the extent of the findings of this panel, whether to accept or not (its proposals).”

He hopes that the ministry’s process to resolve the issue is carried out transparently and communicate to the public.

'Only cowards exploit Interlok'

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today slammed those exploiting the Interlok issue and branded them as cowardly leaders who were narrow-minded.

According to Bernama , he said they were only good at playing up the issue but not at finding a solution.

"These leaders who are trying to split the people by exploiting and politicising the issue actually are cowards with narrow thinking and are trying to take the easy way out.

NONE "In the end, it is innocent children who will be the victims," he told reporters in Kluang after handing over aid to 279 poor and outstanding students from the Sembrong parliamentary consituency today.

Hishammuddin, who is also the MP for Sembrong, said as a former education minister, he understood very well matters that could become sensitive.

As such, he said he hoped the vested parties would discuss the Interlok issue towards arriving at a "win-win" resolution.

He said he believed efforts taken by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also education minister, to get the stakeholders to sit down and discuss the issue was the best way to reach an understanding on it.

"Through dialogue, I hope a a win-win situation can be reached. If not, as usual, any issue related to education can be twisted to take on racial and religious connotations," he explained.