Chow Kon Yeow: 曹观友

The Penang Education Department has put an abrupt end to a social integration programme to promote mutual respect and awareness among students from different cultures.

It was reported today that the department’s Islamic Education section Chief Umar Aziz had sent a circular to all schools in the State, cautioning teachers and students from taking part.

The department should explain why a bona fide programme to promote history, culture and integration among our younger generations should be stopped.

The project was launched by the Yang Di Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas on February 4, this year. It is organized by Universiti Sains Malaysia, Konrad Adenaeur Foundation and the Malaysian Interfaith Network.

One of the main activities was a guided tour for students along the “Streets of Harmony” in Georgetown, namely Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (formerly Pitt Street) where some of the country’s oldest religious buildings – a church, a mosque, a Hindu temple and a Chinese temple – are located.

Although no reason had been given, the DAP believes that certain quarters are feeling uneasy that students are taken to a tour of different places of worships to learn about cultural and religious diversity.

If this is true, it shows that those in the Education Department are narrow-minded and unable to appreciate and embrace the multi-diversity characteristics of the country.

This is a popular programme among students as the tour put into life what they have learned in the classroom.

The “Streets of Harmony” has been chosen by the State Government and the Tourism Ministry to showcase Penang’s rich social, religious and cultural heritage. It had been described as a “Living Museum” of the multi-diversified peoples living in harmony in this country.

It is a perfect location and programme to inculcate greater awareness and sense of appreciation among students towards multi-diversity in our society.

The department should explain why such a programme could be regarded as offensive and inappropriate to be carried out.

I call on the Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to intervene to ensure that this programme that was meant to help foster nation-building and social integration would not be stopped because of some narrow-minded individuals in the Education Department.

Gong Xi, Gong Xi

Let’s usher in the Lunar New Year with hope for a peaceful, stable and yet prosperous year.

There were no major natural disasters last year but many Malaysians were either killed violently in cold- blooded crimes or lost their lives in road accidents.

Pak Lah has promised us a clean government with improved and efficient delivery system. He also wanted to hear the truth from the people.

But has he delivered on his promises so far? A little bit, maybe.

The general impression is the PM does not have enough support to carry through his reform pledge.

But we should not give up on his yet; hopefully this New Year will give him strength to do what is good for the country.

Year 2006 is an important one as the Ninth Malaysia Plan will be launched in April.

Pak Lah has expressed that there would be a fairer distribution of the nation’s wealth.

To achieve this objective, policies based on fair and just principles must be put in place.

The nation’s wealth can be distributed justly without having to be pegged on racial or religious considerations.

Maybe in the year of the Dog, the government can be “racial-blind” so that our progress towards a developed nation by 2020 would not be hindered by race-based policies.

Gong Xi Gong Xi for a peaceful and progressive year ahead.