KUALA LUMPUR, July 23—Putrajaya must revamp the National Civics Bureau (BTN) to promote harmonious ethnic relations or shut down the controversial agency and replace it with national service, said a pressure group comprising retired senior civil servants.

Citing the recent riots that took place outside Low Yat Plaza here a fortnight ago, the so-called G25 said that the unrest there could easily have become contagious and spread ethnic unrest to the rest of the country.

“It is time for Malaysians to think seriously about the state of inter- ethnic relations. All of us in Malaysia must play our part to address and reverse the deteriorating state of inter-ethnic relations,” the group said in a statement today.

“Above all, the Government and political leaders have to take a clear and unequivocal stand that Malaysia must remain a moderate and tolerant nation and all the powers of the law must be brought to bear on those who promote hatred and intolerance on the basis of race and religion.”

Advertisement

Noting that the National Unity Consultative Council has already developed a set of guidelines aimed at fostering better relations among Malaysia’s diverse races, the G25 added Putrajaya must take additional steps to ensure its success and adoption.

 “To conduct a serious review of the controversial Biro Tata Negara with the purpose of either revamping the BTN in line with the recommendations of the Report of the NUCC or else to close down the BTN altogether and in its place, the G25 recommends that the Government should introduce compulsory Community Action Service in the secondary school curriculum with mandatory number of hours required for each student to pass the SPM,” the G25 said.

The group stressed the need to tackle the spectre of racism at an early age, as reflected by its other suggestions that include reintroducing vision schools, reviving the recitation of the National Principles in schools, enforcing zero-tolerance for racism at all institutions, and imposing strong sanctions on teachers and administrators who practice racist acts.

Advertisement

Teachers and principals have an important role in shaping the attitudes of Malaysians, the G25 added, making vital that educators help the next generation develop healthy attitudes towards race and religion

It further pressed Putrajaya to act sternly against extremist groups and individuals, even as it urged all Malaysians to stand together against racism.

“The lack of firm, decisive and quick action by the authorities against the intolerant, extremist and hate groups is a major disappointment and a cause for concern for many Malaysians. The time to act is now,” the group concluded.

The July 12 riots that left five people injured reportedly started after 22-year-old man was handed over to the police the previous day for allegedly stealing an RM800 phone from a store at the popular tech mall.

After the alleged theft, rumours swirled on social media that a Chinese trader had sold the Malay man a counterfeit phone, leading to calls to boycott the “cheating” Chinese traders and the complex itself, as well as the subsequent violence where five were injured.

The incident both prompted comparisons to the May 13, 1969 race riots as well as renewed attention to the controversial BTN, an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department tasked with promoting patriotism but is often accused of spreading racism.

Despite denials by the government and the agency, sporadic leaks of closed-door events conducted by the BTN or featuring its staff have continued to entrench suspicions that the bureau was a hotbed of racism and “brainwashing”.

The bureau recently experienced an embarrassing episode when internal slides that, among others, claimed racism could be used positively to unite a race, were shared onto the Internet after they were accidentally made available for download on its website.