Has 'Interlok' suitability ever been reviewed?

COMMENT (Malaysiakini)It would be tedious to go into the many comments on the controversy surrounding the adoption of the book 'Interlok' as a secondary school text book, for the main reason that the discussion missed the more important questions and issues involved. It is therefore necessary to put the work into perspective.

According to the National Writers Association (Gapena) secretary, the novel won a literary award in 1967 and was subsequently adopted as a social history text book in the 197Os.

The reason for selecting a novel (“a story about imaginary people and events”, Oxford Dictionary) was that 10 years after independence there was the felt need to insert questions for national integration in the school curriculum for the fledgling new generation of Malayans.

Also, the book at that time was amongst the very few stories which supposedly included representatives of the three ethnic groups - Malay, Chinese and Indian - rather than discussing just one community at a time as in most contemporary works.

But, that having been said, the adoption of an impressionistic novel involving stories about imaginary people and their manners and morals, as a text book for required reading and now further adopted as a Malay literature examination text as well, does not meet the standards to qualify for such inclusion on methodological and academic grounds. 

This is not the place to go into details, but there is no question that the 'validity' (accuracy based on research generated tested facts) as well as 'reliability' (repeatedly tested against other references such as foot notes) is absolutely necessary before any book can be accepted as meeting the rigorous requirements for excellence and academic standards for inclusion as a text book.

This is not simply a “literature issue” such as pointed out by the president of Gapena in a statement explaining why some Malay NGOs plan to defend the book.

On the contrary, it concerns a presentation on race relations in the political context of how the Malays, Chinese and Indians supposedly managed to relate to each other under early colonialism, and accordingly has considerable significance for questions of national integration in the present-day context. 

Indeed, it cannot be overemphasised that such seemingly sociological observations and meanings, if properly presented, can be and are vital and pivotal towards a better understanding not only of the early process of social integration, but more especially how they led to social “disintegration” as well.

Ministry at fault

The author himself should not be blamed for the highly-charged negative criticism among certain Malaysians. Indeed, it has been pointed out that the Education Ministry officials directly involved should be made answerable for making an unacceptable decision that can be regarded as negligent. 

Indeed, this is all the more so, considering that the book had not been reviewed for its suitability for over 30 years and is now apparently being “upgraded” as required reading for another examination-based text book as well.

The Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka is also partially responsible for not having this work reevaluated for publication.

Perhaps the officials, who seem particularly adept at doing this for less important works, do not have the capacity or capability to perform this function in the complex area of race and ethnic relations. 

Or alternatively, it might be the case of over emphasising other areas such as the sale of its books where, as I recall, even Dr Mahathir Mahathir is reported as saying the Dewan did very well indeed!

Finally, it is most regrettable that excellent work done for the doctorate degree thesis by Malaysians at local as well as overseas universities in race and ethnic relations do not seem to have been adopted for school text books instead.

It is not difficult to identify suitable work from the publications of some of these theses that are available at leading book shops.

COLLIN ABRAHAM can perhaps qualify as a product of 1 Malaysia - if ever there was one. Beginning a career as the first UM graduate to work as a field assistant in the Social Welfare Department, he moved on to become the director in Malacca and to social development consultant research postings in the Johor/Pahang Regional Master Plans, in Felda, and in rural development. He later joined USM to lecture on ethnic and race relations from where he retired as associate professor. He is the author of the 'Finest Hour: Malaysia-MCP Peace Accord in Perspective'.