Interlok panel wants offensive word removed

The independent panel established to review the 'Interlok' novel has proposed that the word 'pariah' be removed from the book, which is used in schools.A member of the panel, Tamil writer Uthaya Sankar SB (right), told Malaysiakini that the word was removed because of factual errors and not because it was deemed 'sensitive' by some.Uthaya explained that in the context of the novel, the offensive word which is used to denote a member of the lower caste cannot be used to described the character Maniam, who is well-to-do.He said that the novel described Maniam as owning several heads of cattle and a house.

"In the year 1910 (the period in which the novel was set), it is impossible that someone from the pariah class can have such things," said Uthaya. Uthaya said that the proposal came about after the panel met three times. He said that the panel was able to discuss matters rationally. "Thus far, we have only heard people claiming that the contents of the book were 'sensitive'. They have never looked at the matter rationally," said Uthaya, who once won a government literature award known as Hadiah Sastera Perdana.

He said that the proposals took into consideration several aspects including language, facts and racial sensitivities.Uthaya is also the president of Kavyan Literature Group, which is the sole association for ethnic Tamil writers who write in Bahasa Malaysia.

Portrayal of Malays and Chinese also scrutinised

Meanwhile, Uthaya said that the panel also proposed several amendments to the book's references to the Malay and Chinese communities.Among others, the panel studied the character Chin Huat, who was contemplating selling off his baby daughter due to financial hardship, and the character Musa, who was depicted as feeling happy for fooling a headmaster to allow his son to skip school."At first, we were only reviewing the book's depiction of ethnic Indians. But later, we looked at other aspects," he said.

He said that the panel had submitted a 30-page report to Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. The report is expected to be discussed during the cabinet meeting this Friday.Panel head Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, who is a lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, will be holding a closed door meeting with Muhyiddin at Parliament this afternoon.The 'Interlok' novel is used in the upper secondary level. There has been discontent expressed over the book's portrayal of ethnic Indians.

 

Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/158771