Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today said the state government would hold a public forum in Petaling Jaya on Dec 17 to discuss the ban imposed on National Civic Bureau (BTN) courses.

khalid ibrahim at selangor pkr convention 15112009 The state government has barred all state civil servants, students in state-owned universities and employees of state subsidiaries from attending the courses, which have been described as racist.

According to Bernama , Khalid said all young Pakatan assemblypersons in the state who had attended the BTN course would also be invited to come together to discuss ways to improve the civics course.

Sultan's advice welcomed

On another matter, the menteri besar welcomed the advice of the Sultan of Selangor Sharafuddin Idris Shah to state leaders to not only talk but implement programmes for the benefit of the people.

He said the call by the sultan, at an investiture ceremony held in conjunction with his 64th birthday at Istana Alam Shah, Klang, yesterday was also in tandem with his speech made at the ceremony with regard to uplifting the socio-economic status of the people in the state.

"The sultan's speech in urging the menteri besar and his fellow state executive councillors to carry out their duties with dedication and trust and cooperate with civil servants was advice from the sultan and had nothing to do with differences of opinion among state leaders," he said.

Khalid also said that about RM8 million had been allocated to promote Selangor as a preferred tourism spot next year and that he had signed contracts with several television stations for the purpose.