PUTRAJAYA: The Education Ministry today stated that a controversial Form 4 Bahasa Malaysia literature book 'Pantai Kasih' would continue to be used in schools despite claims that it contained vulgarities.
Education ministry deputy director-general Datuk Seri Khairil Awang said the ministry's professional meeting decided that the novel would be retained because it facilitated maturity and rationale thinking among students.
"The paragraph which depicts a love making scene between the heroine and her husband explains the reproduction process in literary language. It is similar to what is being taught in Biology, Science, Islamic and Moral studies subjects in school.
Khairil said that the science and medical elements had been simply translated into literary language.
He added that the novel, authored by Azmah Nordin had gone through a tight screening and selection process before it was chosen to be part of the Form 4 Bahasa Malaysia syllabus.
Khairil said the novel had been in the syllabus for the past two years, in line with the ministry's Malaysian Education Blueprint to create students with higher-order thinking skills.