Dr Maszlee Malik – Bernama file photo
KUCHING: Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has indicated today that no exceptions will be given to Sarawak and Sabah in the implementation of khat or Jawi calligraphy for Year 4 pupils in vernacular schools next year.
According to a report in Malay Mail, Maszlee told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon that the two states are part of Malaysia when asked about the possibility that they could reject the implementation of khat in their schools.
“Sabah and Sarawak are still in Malaysia. According to the Constitution, education is a federal matter and so is its implementation in the SJKC and SJKT,” he said, referring to public vernacular schools.
He said that the Federal Cabinet had unanimously decided at its meeting today that the introduction of khat in the Bahasa Malaysia syllabus would go on as planned next year.
However, he said the number of pages on khat in the Bahasa Malaysia textbook would be reduced by half to three and teachers can choose how they teach it.
Malay Mail also reported that Maszlee sidestepped the question of whether the Cabinet decision meant khat lessons would be optional, emphasising instead that students would not be tested on their calligraphy skills.
Last Sunday, Sarawak Democratic Action Party chief Chong Chieng Jen said his party would propose to the Cabinet to make the teaching of khat optional for Chinese schools in Sarawak.
He told a press conference that his party had taken note of the majority of voices among Sarawakians, particularly the Chinese community on their objection to the new policy.
Chong pointed out that it might be the good intent of the Ministry of Education to introduce Jawi script as part of the new syllabus to promote better understanding among school children of different races in the country.
However, he opined that there is too much distrust among Sarawakians towards policies formulated in Putrajaya.
In a statement yesterday, Chong, who is Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak chairman, said Sarawak DAP maintained its stand that khat be an optional instead of compulsory subject.
He also repeated Maszlee’s earlier statement that the decision to teach khat in vernacular schools was made under the previous Barisan Nasional government.