Putrajaya suspends National Civics Bureau

Kamles Kumar Kamles Kumar Updated 7 years ago · Published on 11 Jul 2018 7:00AM · 10 Comments

Director-general of the National Civics Bureau Ibrahim Saad says Putrajaya might not want to dissolve completely the unit. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 11, 2018.

ACTIVITIES run by the National Civics Bureau (BTN) have been suspended pending a total overhaul of its syllabus, manpower and restructuring of the unit, said its director-general, Ibrahim Saad.

This came about following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the 14th general election where it had promised to dissolve BTN, which over the years, has been criticised for allegedly instilling racial supremacy over other ethnic groups.

“For the moment, all BTN activities have been suspended. We are waiting for further instructions from the Prime Minister’s Department,” Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insight.

Ibrahim did not specify when BTN was suspended but said Putrajaya might not want to do away with the unit.

“It has not been finalised yet. There will be a review of its workforce and restructuring of the unit,” he added. 

Another source from the civil service told The Malaysian Insight that Putrajaya wants to restructure BTN instead of abolishing it, to increase productivity among civil servants. 

“They are looking at a Japanese syllabus to boost productivity. BTN would be used as a vehicle to step up the civil service from within,” the source said.

BTN was formed in 1974 when it was known as the youth research unit under the youth ministry then. It was then transferred to the Prime Minister’s Department in 1981 and renamed BTN in 1982. 

The unit currently has 14 branches nationwide with 17 Kem Bina Negara and an academy, Akademi Kenegaraan, located in the lush Bukit Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. 

In recent years, BTN has come under fire for stoking racism, bigotry and spreading propaganda of the previous Barisan Nasional administration, when it promoted patriotism and nationalism among civil servants.

There were even allegations that BTN campaigned for BN in the lead up to GE14 among groups of civil servants around the country. 

Wanita MCA chairman Heng Seai Kie said the new PH government should walk the talk and implement its promises outlined in its GE14 manifesto, among them being No. 28 which reads that “the PH government will dissolve BTN which over the years, actively became a cheap political agent for Umno”.

“In the past, PH leaders repeatedly berated the courses taught in BTN as ic. BTN was, thus, a stumbling block to national unity. This shows the destructiveness of BTN and the necessity to dismantle it as soon as possible.

She urged the government to make a decision quickly on BTN, as early as today’s cabinet meeting.

PH Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who once attended a BTN session, said it was racist and political unit, even calling PAS a deviant party. 

He has repeatedly called for the abolishment of the unit as recent as last week. 

There were reported instances that the courses in BTN were aimed at promoting Malays as the superior race and BN as the only viable political party. 

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang last week urged the PH presidential council to relook into abolishing BTN as promised in the manifesto.

“However, in view of the report that that BTN would be retained instead of being dissolved, as promised by the Pakatan Harapan manifesto, the Pakatan Harapan presidential council should revisit the issue,” he said.

Lim added that if BTN could be overhauled completely to promote nationalism, it would be possible for the unit to stay. – July 11, 2018.

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Comments

  • Is Ibrahim Saad an Umno member like many DGs and SGs of gomen departments? These people also have relatives who are Umnoputras and putris.

    Posted 7 years ago by Da Hi · Reply

  • Revamp BTN to promote nationalism and unity among the various races and religions. Change its name to something more palatable by reflecting its objectives.

    Posted 7 years ago by Savari CJ · Reply

  • If the aim is to increase productivity among civil servants, you have Intan already to accomplish this aim. There is no valid reason left for BTN to exist. Instead courses with standard and regulated curriculum to emphasize interracial harmony should be conducted in Intan and all other government agency training institutes in the country. The big plus from the BTN closure is the money that can be saved to help the recovery of the nation's finances.

    Posted 7 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • So wanita MCA chairman Heng Seai Kie AGREE gomen should walk the talk to dissolve BTN which over the years, actively became a cheap political agent for Umno? Why this 180 degrees change of tack compared to just two months ago? Even though this is a great call, it also shows MCA has no principles.

    Posted 7 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

    • The chameleon shows its colours.

      Posted 7 years ago by CHEE MENG WONG · Reply

  • Yes, BTN can remain but the syllabus must be changed to one that teaches acceptance, diversity and mutual respect ~ in other words, muhibbah. The whole group of previous BTN lecturers must be dropped because they themselves are indoctrinated by the old regime.

    Posted 7 years ago by Henry Mancini Jr · Reply

  • These stooges of umno deliberately instilling supremacy of Malay race among top civil servants ,GLC high rank officers , government teaching staffs, lecturers,youth leaders, must be discharge n sacked from BTN. The new Harapan need to fulfill their election manifesto getting rid of such radical n racialist government agency immediately.

    Posted 7 years ago by Chiu FK · Reply

  • Change the name, change the programme syllabus, revamp the organisation-replace the senior people, and introduce programmes that actually promote racial harmony!!

    Posted 7 years ago by New Malaysian · Reply

  • For a start, from the picture above, Ibrahim Saad looks suspect on carrying out any racial related issues .... plus he too looks like he only welcomes only the Malays ..... that's a good start to sack this guy! As a DG and if BTN was doing what the Rakyat claimed it did, then close this unit as BTN did not do much in racial integration and swayed from it's original intentions. My take shut BTN down and revisit the damages and draw up a plan in consideration of all racial inputs before even starting another BTN ...... there's a saying if somethings not broken, why fix it .... in this case, BTN IS BROKEN .... we needed to FIX this bleeding ASAP.

    Posted 7 years ago by Crishan Veera · Reply

  • BTN stands for everything hateful and despicable whose sole purpose was to divide and separate the races to perpetuate Malay supremacy. My recommendation is to eradicate this pestilence lest it rears it ugly head again. Sack all employees associated.

    Posted 7 years ago by Justice For All · Reply