December 14, 2012
BTN, could this be the end?
by J Bellamy@http://www.malaysiakini.com
COMMENT In reply to recent critique of it, the Biro Tatanegara or BTN (National Civics Bureau) is being forced to modify the use of blunt propaganda as well as psychological manipulation.
According to incredulous participants, the BTN video once told the story which the sultanate of Malacca had fallen to foreign invaders with the await of Chinese as well as Indian "traitors".
One tearful young lady in the assembly wondered out loud why the supervision had not held "roadshows" via the nation to highlight this gob of history which was "so small known".The anxiety to these "traitors" has right away been deleted.
I was among the group of supervision servants ordered to attend the BTN programme. Our march was professionally run, featuring lectures by academicians, "discussions" or teaching sessions by late polite servants, as well as jaunty marching activities, helmed by likeable former commandos.
We had comfortable accommodation, which was the immeasurable improvement upon previous courses. Participants had traditionally been outcast to removed jungle camps to undergo various fastening activities there, such as pity baths by scooping out water from the usual trough.
The routine of indoctrination
Our day began with mandatory prayers among the Muslims, as well as the roll call: men in front, women behind. Women were singled out for praise from the masculine march organisers for being well-dressed, for carrying the fetching appearance, or for carrying an attractive approach of walking.
P atriotic music preceded each lecture. The catchy 'Perajurit Tanah Air' accompanied an amateurish video of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak posing with various phallic objects: missiles, torpedoes as well as the barbarous Scorpene submarines. A Najib allude to flashed opposite the screen: "We know the things you need for the next 5 to 10 years".
A '1Malaysia' song followed, finish with mandatory waving of small plastic flags. Najib appeared upon the screen, roving the LRT or monorail, as well as in the little discomfort, wiping the sweat from his beard upon the sleeve of his 1Malaysia shirt.
In lectures, as well as in eremite classes or 'madrassah' reserved for Muslims, the summary of Malay solidarity as well as of the threat opposite the special in front of of the Malays by "the others", was constantly drummed home. We were warned of "militant" Islamists in the midst.
The problems faced by the government, you were told, were caused by "perception". For instance, you were told Rosmah Mansor, Najib's wife, had never owned the RM24.4 million diamond ring.
The Welfare Association of Ministers' Wives (Bakti) had, in fact, used Rosmah's name (as Bakti President) to import the ring, in order to display it to pick up donations for charity.
True definition of patriotism
The BTN lecturers made it transparent which the true definition of nationalism was to foster the statute party. We were quizzed, for example, regulating the multiple-choice question:
"You have been the head of the supervision department, planning the march in professionalism as well as integrity for your department. Three candidates have been short-listed to yield the course, ! carrying over the technical criteria:
i) A foreign association with glorious competence, charity the competitive price;
ii) A internal association known to be the clever supporter of the statute party, though with singular competence; and
iii) A internal association known to be the clever supporter of an opposition party, with plenty competence, which pledges not to allow governing body to meddle with the delivery of the contract."
Most participants chose (iii). However, the BTN facilitators revealed which the scold answer is (ii), since you must, as polite servants, conform the instructions of the statute party.
Besides, how else can the internal association with "limited competence" urge the expertise, without being since the chance? However, the small distraction ensued over the complications opening when the single celebration is in opposition during state level, though in supervision during the federal level.
One Malay lady participant argued which you contingency simply "do the job" to the best of the capability as polite servants, as well as not as servants of celebration politics. Her acknowledgement was greeted with applause.
Candid views upon nationalism
Our lecturers stressed the narrow interpretation of nationalism. This was formed upon the supposed "social contract" which determined citizenship for non-Malays, with an open-ended preservation of the "special position" of the Malays: quotas in education, the polite service, as well as permits as well as licences, as summarized in Article 153.
A BTN lecturer, the constitutional lawyer, announced during the opening of her speak which any constitution contingency be the "living document". She then proceeded to acknowledgement which the articles regarding this "special position" were permanent as well as fossilised.
In the question-and-answer session, the law techer additionally provided the candid insight in to federal-state relations. She descri! bed how an unnamed friend, the High Court decider in Sabah, had told her which Sabahans deliberate themselves propitious which they had assimilated Malaysia, instead of Indonesia or the Philippines.
She asserted which the name "Malaysia" antiquated back to the 19th century, as well as therefore Sabah as well as Sarawak had "joined" the association in the same approach which Alaska as well as Hawaii had assimilated the United States of America.
She gave reduced shrift to the "20-point" as well as "18-point" agreements which Sabah as well as Sarawak had determined prior to Malaysia Day, as well as added breezily which even Sabahans as well as Sarawakians themselves do not know the essence of these agreements.
If, as Samuel Johnson said, nationalism is the final retreat of the scoundrel, BTN contingency positively be the single of the final refuges of institutionalised patriotism. But BTN appears to have been compelled, with the single eye upon open opinion, to moderate the strategy of promoting Malay supremacy.
Perhaps the national sea change in domestic awareness, the openness highlighted by the "new media", as well as the expansion of "social bridging", exemplified by the multi-ethnic Bersih rallies as well as anti-Lynas movements, is changing the society, as well as therefore the polite service. When the two-party complement in the future takes root, the values of the BTN might well be weeded out.
Could this be the end, BTN?
Yesterday: Diary of the BTN participant (and additionally upon http://www.dinmerican.wordpress.com)
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