Despite the agency’s justifying of racism, there is no need for the National Civics Bureau (BTN) to be disbanded, according to MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan.

However, he said the bureau’s syllabus should be changed to become more inclusive, because the current syllabus would only make trainees more narrow-minded and would not benefit them.

“BTN has its role (to play), but that is not the way to do it […]

“Something went wrong – (it was) mismanaged, or the approach is wrong.

“So, rectify it. Change it to something more magnanimous, rather than this very narrow-minded condemning of others,” he said today when asked.

He was speaking to reporters at Wisma MCA today at the sidelines of a MCA-organised seminar for party members.

DAP as well as other quarters such as civil society movement G25's spokesperson Noor Farida Ariffin renewed calls for the department under the Prime Minister's Department to be shut down, following a leak of BTN’s presentation slides that critics have called " racist ".

'Don't focus on religious differences'

Among others, one set of slides claimed that racism can unite a race to beneficial ends.

It also denies Malaysia is a racist country by claiming that minorities are already being accorded with human rights, and the Top-10 list of richest people in the country are dominated by Chinese tycoons, among other reasons.

Ong shot back that racism cannot possibly be a good thing for Malaysia.

“We have to put aside our differences and focus on our common destiny, rather than keep on highlighting differences of religion, differences in culture, and trying to force our values onto others.

“This is something very unwise. It will make the nation backward and deteriorate our solidarity and prosperity,” he said.