review BTn’s existence

Saifuddin: We need to review bureau’s curriculum and implementation

Saifuddin: We need to review the curriculum and implementation.

KUALA LUMPUR: The existence of the National Civics Bureau (BTN), which has come under fire for allegedly carrying out racist programmes, should be reviewed, says Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

The Global Movement of Moderates CEO said the bureau now allegedly promotes Malay supremacy which was not the original motive of its existence.

“It was meant to educate Malaysians on civic mindedness and patriotism. Not the superiority of Malays. When I was young I went through some courses and eventually facilitated some courses there,” he said after attending a talk by the MIC youth.

He added that he did not feel BTN should be abolished but instead stressed that it should be reviewed.

“In addition to its existence itself, we need to review the curriculum and how the course is implemented,” he said.

Recently, moderate Malaysian and former ambassador Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, as well as Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin have shared similar sentiments.

This was after a folder on the BTN website containing several presentation slides were ridiculed by Malaysians online, and was later taken down.

Some of the slides described independent book publishers as masterminds of an “anti-establishment” movement to influence youths voting in the 14th general election.

Another set of slides claimed that racism can unite a race for a “good purpose”, but has instead received a “negative connotation” as the idea is being used by certain parties to achieve their political goals and topple the Government.

Noor Farida has slammed BTN for toeing the line of religious authorities by demonising liberalism and pluralism without explaining why, when such concepts are reflected in the Quran, the Federal Constitution, as well as the Rukunegara.