Selangor boycotts BTN
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Selangor boycotts BTN
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Selangor boycotts Biro Tata Negara programmes
Tan Yi Liang, The Sun, SHAH ALAM (Nov 25, 2009)
The Selangor government has barred all students in state-owned higher-learning institutions, civil servants and employees in state government-linked companies (GLCs) from attending nation-building programmes carried out by Biro Tata Negara (BTN).
Dr Halimah Ali Speaking to reporters after the weekly state executive council meeting today, executive councillor in charge of education and higher education Dr Halimah Ali said the ban will take effect immediately and that a written directive will be sent to all the institutions.
She said the decision was made based on reports submitted by those who had attended the course.
"They had reported that what happened in the course is an indoctrination process by the Barisan Nasional government," said Halimah. "It creates a racist phenomena which seeks to divide the multi-racial and multi-religious community of Malaysia."
She also related what her own children had encountered in the BTN programmes. "My own children have gone through the programme, and they were supplied booklets which contained content structured to inspire hate against opposition to the Malaysian government," she said.
This ban follows a call made last week by Selangor Pakatan Rakyat youth leaders to stop sending students for BTN programmes. Halimah slammed the programme as an "unnecessary waste of the people's money," adding that the ban will bring benefit to affected students, civil servants and GLC employees.
"We are giving a chance for our students, government officers and GLC employees to now attend courses that foster true unity in our multiracial community of Selangor," she said.
When contacted later by the Sun, Halimah said there would be no conflict with the federal government in the restriction of civil servants, as over 23,000 civil service officers were under the direct employment of the state, with only top-level officials under the employment of the Public Services Department.
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