YOURSAY | ‘If there is enough interest, the schools can organise Jawi classes as an extracurricular activity.’
Learning khat will not jeopardise one's faith - experts
MYR Png: I totally agree. When I was in primary school, we learned to read and write Jawi.
My Chinese brother-in-law teaches Jawi and he did not convert to Islam.
It is just another language. It’s like Malays learning Mandarin. What’s the fuss?
RealityCheck: I was studying in Kota Bharu from 1955 (Standard 1) to 1958 at the Sultan Ismail School. My father was a government employee who was transferred there from Penang.
We were taught Jawi, and I was proud to be able to recite and write the basic alphabet.
I am not sure how this can affect our social fabric. It's just like learning to write Thai or Mandarin - an additional skill. I am Chinese.
JW: What about the question of why every student should learn khat? It is not Bahasa Malaysia which, of course, is required of all Malaysians to learn and master. Why not make khat optional?
Besides, learning khat is another burden on young kids who already have to deal with so many other subjects. Why the additional burden?
Educationists have long recommended the practice of not overburdening young kids with too many subjects so that they have free time for themselves. As such, what is the real reason for burdening kids with khat?
Not addressing this question opens the door to all kinds of speculations and suspicions, including the idea of proselytising to non-Muslims, even though one may be right that the suspicion is not warranted.
Non-Evader: These experts are evading the core argument over the opposition to the learning of khat.
Chinese children have to learn three languages in school. The result is that the majority will end up not able to master any of them.
Now you want them to learn yet another writing? The time allocated for khat learning should be used to learn Bahasa Malaysia.
Boeyks: Other than religious studies, any new subjects to be implemented in the schools should equip our youth with the necessary skills and knowledge to compete and survive in our current borderless world.
Our students are crammed with so many subjects to learn that it just doesn’t make sense to add more subjects.
The time spent learning khat has no use other than to beautify the handwriting. It can be added as an optional topic in art classes for those who are interested.
More time should be given to science, mathematics and major languages to equip our youth for the future.
Gerard Lourdesamy: When the mere sight of a cross can jeopardise the faith of Muslims, why should it be different for non-Muslims since khat is the form of writing used in the Quran?
Enough of the subtle methods to propagate Islam to non-believers. So long as children can read and write in standard Bahasa Malaysia and English, there is no need for beautiful or artistic handwriting.
The education system is supposed to be secular for non-Muslims.
Anonymous_1527925538: The crux of the matter is why the sudden need to teach khat in vernacular schools?
Most of the students would probably not use it in their working lives after school. If there is enough interest, the schools can organise Jawi classes as an extracurricular activity.
Anonymous_1537180923: @5583, based on your theory, schools should stop teaching art, literature, additional math (calculus), morals, history, et cetera, or whatever, that is not work-related.
Norman Fernandez: Okay. How about sekolah kebangsaan and sekolah tahfiz also learning Chinese calligraphy?
PAS Youth accuses DAP grassroots of fanning racial animosity
Anonymous 2405191458063842: The Pakatan Harapan government is bending over backwards to win Malay votes in the next general election.
Their greatest fear is that the Malay support for the opposition will be strengthened, with disenchanted Malays who voted Harapan in GE14 going back to support Umno-PAS. Then Harapan will be a one-term government.
To win Malay votes, they are willing to harbour a controversial preacher even at the expense of losing a big market for our palm oil.
To win these votes, they are willing to force down the throats of non-Muslim students the learning of Jawi - which is not our national language - disguised as calligraphy art.
They are also willing to take in corrupt and substandard politicians from the opposition just to boost their numbers.
These Harapan politicians are only thinking of themselves and are no different from the politicians from Umno and PAS.
Meanwhile, the country could burn and go down the drain and these politicians won’t care as long as they get to stay in power and become filthy rich in the process.
William Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part 2, has these lines: “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” But we know which group in our society is even worse than lawyers, don't we?
Anonymous_1560865429524: They claim that they are merely teaching artistic calligraphy.
Okay, then alongside khat, please teach Chinese calligraphy (shufa), Sanskrit calligraphy, and also western calligraphy and penmanship.
Better yet, let the students choose.
Anonymous_1398599207: Do PAS and Umno realise that they are fanning the race and religious issue among Malay Muslims to win the next election?
It's like the kettle calling the pot black.
Watan: Bersatu started the fire, PAS fanned it and now we can have a fantastic barbecue.
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