Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email typical of our pak turuts. when something is banned, they say it is good. after the ban is revoked, they also say it is good. why even bother saying?
Dons: Cultural societies will bring races together http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/11/nation/17399284&sec=nation
By EE-LYN TAN
PETALING JAYA: The announcement that public universities can now set up cultural societies has been given the thumbs up.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) deputy vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Wahid Samsudin said the move by the Higher Education Ministry would “promote diversity through integration.”
“It is important that we involve all races in different activities like the Chinese Lantern Festival and Ponggal so that we can be educated on each other’s culture,” he said.
Prof Mohd Wahid added that UKM had long upheld the practice of promoting racial integration through such societies.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed had in Parliament on Monday stated that public universities would now be allowed to set up cultural societies.
His deputy Datuk Ong Tee Keat said these societies would encompass a wide spectrum of activities, including language-related ones.
Universiti Malaya (UM) deputy vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Amin Jalaludin concurred that cultural societies were a good way to bring the races together.
“This will be a healthy move as it will make us truly Malaysian,” he said.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Chinese Language Society pro tem president Teh Yee Keong was happy with the move, saying it would enhance diversity.
However, he felt that students should have more autonomy in such matters.
“We should be given more freedom to decide whether a society should be set up or not,” said the Mandarin Studies student.
The Chinese Language Society, he added, had always been open to all communities and now had Malay students in its Mandarin classes and Chinese Chess Club.
