Interviews (1 and 2) from Malaysiakini below. Its similar to what I have heard from reliable friends too.

‘We were shown a picture of Anwar Ibrahim with an American. The instructor told us that he is a traitor to the country as he had a good relationship with the Americans.’
This was among the issues raised during a nation building programme carried out by Biro Tatanegara or the National Civics Bureau, recalled fourth year economics student Fakhrul Zaki Fazial.

Fakhrul, who is studying in Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA), said the focus of the talks is on the Malay race.

“They (the instructors) also criticise leaders from the opposition and consider their criticism as being patriotic,” he added.

Universiti Malaya student leader Mohd Ridzuan Mohammad, who attended the BTN programme in 2004, said there were even talks about other races being a threat to the Malays.

“It is not the right thing to do for BTN to play up racial sentiments… that will create racial rift…(as) this programme could influence some students (into accepting the propagation of racist ideologies),” he added.

Chin Shin Liang, a former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) student who attended a BTN course in December 2008, related his experience.

“We were shown video clips of the Bersih rally and then pictures of war-torn Palestine with a caption; Is this what we want?…we were also shown an (unidentified) protester throwing stones.”

‘Promoting blind obedience’

Describing it as “incredibly biased”, Chin said: “It does not show who the stone thrower is, probably a Mat Rempit who decided to join the fun or how the police provoked the protesters with a water canon in the first place.”

He said the instructors also taught that the BN government is chosen by the people and therefore is the legitimate government while making no attempt to distinguish the political party and the government.

The instructors, he said, also suggested that all government agencies should serve BN and be careful of any requests from the opposition which is trying to topple the government.

“This is very misleading, because as a rule, government agencies should be neutral and serve the country as a whole (not just a particular party/coalition),” he added.

It is as if the course is suggesting that the BN government ‘represents’ the country and should be blindly obeyed without question, he noted.

Meanwhile, Fakhrul expressed doubts over BTN’s choice of instructors.

“I feel that some of the instructors were not qualified because they were very emotional and not intellectual in their presentations.

“If students disagreed with their viewpoint, they would be scolded in front of everyone,” he said.

‘BTN taught us mutual respect’

Brickbats aside, there are some quarters who felt that BTN courses have been unfairly targeted.

Yesterday, a group calling itself ‘ex-BTN graduates’ held a press conference in Kuala Lumpur to air their views.

“We feel it is our social responsibility to correct the lopsided views about BTN courses,” said its leader Ahmad Shafei Ahmad Hanbali (left).

He denied that the modules sowed seeds of hatred towards other races. “BTN taught us how to mutually respect the rights of other races as spelt out in the constitution.”

“It is not fair to say that BTN tries to create division when it is only teaching the country’s official history,” he said.

On the allegation that BTN is a propaganda tool of BN, Ahmad Shafei alluded that there was nothing wrong with teaching obedience to the sitting government.

“In a mature democracy, those who lost, even by one vote, must respect those who have won and the victory that the majority of the rakyat has given to the victors,” he said.

Also coming to the defence of BTN was Majlis Gabungan NGO Pembela Negara (Magaran) legal adviser, Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz.

He said everything that is taught in BTN courses follows what is spelt out in the constitution.

He explained that the special position of the Malays, Bahasa Melayu and Islam is clearly mentioned in articles like 152 and 153 of the constitution.

Mohd Khairul, who claims to be a BTN graduate himself, said “these are facts, not opinions.”

ISO certification

As for allegations of facts, issues and images being manipulated and misrepresented, he explained: “These images and issue are not uncommon even outside BTN, these are usual fare in blogs, publications and other sources. Every fact, image and issue shown or mentioned is credited to sources.”

“Participants can think for themselves, BTN is just exercising freedom of speech. I think that the use of those images are appropriate (in order to highlight certain matters).”

Asked about the problem some graduates have with instructors, Mohd Khairul said: “Report the wrongdoings of the instructors and BTN will address the problem. Don’t reject BTN totally.”

In 2008, BTN was apparently awarded ISO certification by Sirim for its courses.

However, concerned parties have pointed out that Sirim’s endorsement only confirms BTN’s ability to deliver the training on a consistent basis, not an endorsement of the course contents.

Commenting on this, Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez asked whether the authorities who issued the certification are “conscious of the seditious and racially inflammatory nature of the curriculum”.

Student council representatives from several public universities are opposed to the controversial Biro Tatanegara (BTN) courses which is a requirement at campuses.

Universiti Malaya Students Council president, Mohd Ridzuan Mohammad, said only four out of 41 council members who have been asked to attend the course chose to do so.

“I made it optional for members as I felt the course was unsuitable. It incites racial sentiments and does not help provide better representation to the student body,” he said.

The council received an official letter from the Ministry of Higher Education, via UM’s student affairs department, saying it was compulsory for council members.

Ridzuan, who had attended a BTN course in his first year, said his decision to make it optional had “angered” assistant vice chancellor of student affairs, Azarae Idris, who threatened disciplinary action.

However, he said, Azarae withdrew his threat after Ridzuan made his case in a meeting with the vice chancellor after the BTN course in April earlier in the year.

Ridzuan’s defense was that pro-opposition student leaders were depicted negatively at a BTN course held in Kuala Terengganu.

He said the incident where a pig’s head was thrown into a surau in UM was used to tarnish the image of pro-opposition student leaders.

“The course is run over three days, which I think can be better spent on looking after the welfare of the students on campus,” he said.

When contacted, neither Azrae nor senior officers at the student affairs department were available for comment.

Compulsory for Islamic studies students

At University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), student council member Hisyamuddin Che Ali said most chose not to attend despite warnings from the student affairs department.

“We received calls from the student affairs department almost everyday to pressure us to go,” he said.

Thus far no action has been taken on those who did not attend, as it is not compulsory for most UKM students.

The course, however, is a must for Faculty of Islamic Studies students. Unhappy at being singled out, the faculty’s mostly Muslim students protested to the vice chancellor.

“They too, complained that racial sentiments were fanned at BTN courses…for example, they were told that the Chinese are lording over the country,” said Hisyamuddin.

Other complaints included the inciting of political sentiments and the fact that male and female participants were not segregated during the activities.

Hisyamuddin said the student affairs department responded by saying that they were merely acting on the instructions of the Ministry of Higher Education.

‘It all depends on the facilitators’

On the other end of the spectrum, a former UUM student council president said that he had encouraged council members to attend BTN course.

Nur Mohd Saifuddin Salahuddin said that 25 of the 36-member student council members attended the course.

“It’s good for team-building,” he said, adding that the courses were optional for UUM students despite rumours that those who did not go would not be allowed to graduate.

Saifuddin, who has attended several BTN courses, said the benefits outweighed negative perceptions, and that the modules mostly concentrated on historical facts.

“Whether or not BTN is an indoctrination camp depends on the facilitator, as some facilitators choose to focus on politics,” said the member of the Pro-Aspirasi faction.

Pro-Aspirasi is commonly known to be a pro-Barisan Nasional government group in campus politics.

Saifuddin said that out of the 20 to 30 facilitators present at the BTN courses which he attended, only one or two made their political leanings obvious.

“I had even provoked a facilitator, calling him an ‘Umno man’, but he told me that it was a requirement for BTN facilitators to not be members of any political party,” he said.

‘Steer clear of politics’

Despite supporting the ISO-certified BTN, Saifuddin felt BTN courses should be clear of political influences, and use history instead of current events, as a teaching reference,

“I do not agree with some facilitators who try to convince those with different political leanings by stating ‘fact’ after ‘fact’.

“If they must relate the modules to current events, at the very least they should stay neutral and not be so partial to the ruling government,” he said.

He also said that the BTN courses should be more transparent, to ensure that the public understands what takes place.

Currently, all participants are asked to surrender cameras, mobile phones and all other recording devices.

This is not the case in Selangor’s BTN equivalent SPIES where students taking part are allowed to bring along recording devices and best of all, the course is not compulsory.

“It popular because the facilitators are qualified and the activities are fun and beneficial,” said Universiti Selangor student council president Wan Azraei Wan Husin.

Wan Azraei said the course includes the history of political parties, motivational speeches, spiritual lessons and outdoor activities like white water rafting, something also included in BTN course modules.