I AGREE with Tamil Maram, who wrote (NST, June 21) about the National Civics Bureau (BTN).
BTN should be open and transparent to the public to dispel the widely-held view that it is an indoctrination programme to instil obedience in people to the government.
The correct approach for BTN is to inspire loyalty to king and country by teaching participants to uphold the Constitution as the supreme law and to stand for the system of law and order enshrined in our constitutional democracy.
BTN is tailored for civil servants and government-linked company scholarship holders, the “captive participants” who complain they have to listen to instructors and are not expected to engage them in a debate because that will be interpreted as a sign of disloyalty to the government and country.
Those who believe they were not given the opportunity to express their opinions liken BTN courses as brainwashing. Historical facts are manipulated to drive home propaganda, even though participants know that the real facts are different.
While young boys and girls who attend BTN courses are happy about meeting new friends and doing outdoor activities, they are reluctant to discuss their experience.
As senior government officers during the 1980s, we were made to attend a retreat in Langkawi, organised by BTN to inculcate nationalistic values in us.
I noticed that only Malay officers were invited to the retreat.
I was disappointed with the programme content, which I felt was more about political indoctrination than an intellectual exercise of making officers understand the local and global environment facing the country, challenges ahead and how we can contribute to nation building.
There was no free flow of discussion. After this experience, I declined to attend BTN courses because I felt it was a waste of time as there was nothing useful that I could learn.
I hope BTN has changed since then.
BTN should orientate its camp training or cultivate an awareness of the multicultural dimensions of our society and an appreciation that our diversity is a blessing.
MOHD SHERIFF MOHD KASSIM
Kuala Lumpur