‘Konserto Terakhir’ to replace ‘Interlok’ from next year

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KUALA LUMPUR: The novel ‘Konserto Terakhir’ by national laureate Datuk Abdullah Hussain will replace Interlok as textbook for the Malay literature component for Form Five students from next year.

Education director-general Datuk Seri Abd Ghafar Mahmud in a statement yesterday said the textbook replacement concerned students in Zone Two, covering Negeri Sembilan, the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and Selangor.

He said ‘Konserto Terakhir’ had gone through the process of selection and screening set and was found to be suitable as a school literature textbook based on the values promoted and the quality of the work.

On Dec 14, the cabinet decided that the novel Interlok also written by Abdullah, would cease to be used as a Form Five textbook from 2012.

The decision was made following arising feelings of uneasiness among some sections of society about the novel and to prevent certain quarters from continuing to make it polemic.

‘Konserto Terakhir’ had been used before as a Form Five textbook in Zone Two from year 2000 to 2010.

The novel revolves around the struggle and resilience of a village youth who migrated to the city to look for a job and in the end becomes a big star. — Bernama