Is there more than what meets the eye behind the move to make history a compulsory pass subject for students who sit for the SPM examination?

According to Kempen Sejarah Sebenar Malaysia (KemSMS), there is an ulterior political motive at work.

In a media statement, KemSMS chairperson Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim warned of dire consequences.

NONE "We have strong fears that this new attempt to politicise education through the history syllabus will have disastrous effects on inter-racial and inter-religious unity and tolerance through the propagation of a predominantly Malay and Islamic version of history which will form the major content of the curriculum.

"Instead, what is required is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious view of Malaysian history, one that unfortunately this government continues to deliberately ignore for its own short-sighted partisan interests," he said.  

Thasleem pointed out that students from poor backgrounds would be the main victims of this measure which “would damage minds by instilling a warped version of the country's true history.”

"The teaching of a ketuanan Melayu (Malay hegemony) and ketuanan Islam (Islamic hegemony) history may appear to be a victory for Umno supporters but in fact it will only make the community more unprepared to deal with the reality of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious Malaysia, as well as a multi-civilisational world," he said.

Thasleem recalled that Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, when launching the National Education Blueprint, stated that it would result in students with world-class knowledge and skills, strong moral values and capable of competing with their peers from other countries.

"This has now been revealed to be an empty boast and a lie," he said.

"Worse, it is a cover up for the greater politicisation and stultification of our national education system which Umno, the main component of the BN, is seeking to ensure so that it will continue to rule the country for the next 50 years," he added.

Loyal to whom?

Thasleem also noted that Muhyiddin, in explaining the decision to make history a compulsory pass subject, claimed that it is being done to ensure that Malaysian students remain loyal.

"The question which arises is loyal to whom?" asked the KemSMS chairperson.

Without mincing his words, Thasleem also said that with this decision, the "BN government is knowingly and wilfully acting against the interests of our young population."

"Firstly they deceived our younger generation and the larger society by pushing through this requirement arbitrarily and behind closed doors using their dominance of the civil service.

"Whatever consultations or reviews conducted before arriving at this new requirement have been concealed and hidden from the public.  

"All attempts made by KemSMS to engage the authorities in dialogue on major controversial issues relating to the history syllabus and text books used in the schools have been met with bureaucratic feett dragging and resistance showing that the authorities have made up their mind about this decision a long time ago and are not willing to entertain any change," he added.

NONE Secondly, Thasleem said the National Education Blueprint  makes no mention about this new requirement which has been sneaked under the table past the noses of parliamentarians and other stakeholders.  

"We challenge the minister to reveal to Malaysians how this new requirement will make for world class knowledge and skills or state how this is in keeping with the blueprint’s vision and objectives," he added.

Thirdly, he said, BN is doing a disservice to the educational system and youth with this new imposition.

"As pointed out by others, no advanced country in the world in this present era has such a requirement. Already our educational system is failing to provide students with the proper skills and knowledge especially in Science and Mathematics and in analytical and problem solving skills that can enable them to compete and globally.

"KemSMS does not see how the rote learning and reproduction of politically and religiously skewed answers required for students to pass the history examination will serve our younger generation well," he added.

According to Thasleem, there is still time to reverse this policy.

"But it can only happen if other stakeholders who have been hitherto silent, or passive join KemSMS in objecting to this hasty and unjustified measure and call for its rescinding or minimally, to demand its delay in implementation until there is a full public and transparent review of the new requirement, and informed guarantees on its educational quality and integrity," he said.