Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching today slammed claims that she was planning to edit history textbooks with the help of ethnic Chinese NGOs. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 — Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching today slammed claims that she was planning to edit history textbooks with the help of ethnic Chinese NGOs.

In a statement today, the Kulai MP said that she was also mulling legal action against the reports, which she labelled as fake and baseless, and demanded that the reports be retracted.

“I vehemently deny the reports and warn that the parties retract the article immediately.

“If not, I would not hesitate to consider legal action as such reports are an attempt to defame me, as well as the Education Ministry of Malaysia (KPM),” Teo said.

Her statement comes on the heels of two reports posted on two blogs, with the headline: Timbalan Menteri DAP sahkan ‘Team DAP’ ubah subjek sejarah sekolah rendah (DAP deputy minister confirms ‘DAP Team’ to change primary schools’ history subject).

The articles, posted on Sabahkini2.com and Minda Rakyat, quotes Teo allegedly telling local Chinese daily, Sin Chew Daily, that a committee made up of history experts within the ministry had agreed that the history subject in primary schools cover “many elements from other subjects”.

It said that the committee therefore had agreed to review and change the subject’s content.

Both the blogs reported Teo telling Sin Chew that the ministry had arranged for a meeting between representatives of Chinese associations and other stakeholders with the committee.

Teo reportedly said that the Textbook Division of KPM had, since 2014, held eight workshops regarding suggestions by Chinese associations to improve primary school textbooks.

“According to Sin Chew Daily, the suggestions by the 10 Chinese associations regarding school textbooks include inserting content about the influence of Indian culture in Malay governments, when discussing the topic of early Malay governments, in Primary Four textbooks,” the blogs reported, quoting another news portal, Malaysia Gazette, which had purportedly reported Sin Chew Daily’s alleged article.

Among others, it reported that for the Primary Five textbook, the theme on the monarchy system was suggested to be changed to the monarchy system and constitutional monarchy, the Islamic theme to be changed to Islam and other main religion and beliefs, with the topic of Bahasa Melayu changed to Bahasa Melayu and other natives’ languages.

However, in her reply, Teo said that revision of the Primary Schools Standard Curriculum (KSSR) had already begun last year, whereby the ministry had already improved the available curriculum for all subjects in schools.

“The Expert Panel Committee on Revision of the History Curriculum and Textbooks was formed in 2017, which was before I became deputy education minister, effective July 2, 2018,” Teo said, adding that it was therefore impossible for her to have been involved with the ministry’s activities.

She said she was also confident in the wisdom of the committee members in carrying out their tasks with regards to school textbooks.

“Therefore, while I respect freedom of speech which is upheld by the new government, I advise the masses to not spread statements or reports which are baseless and defamatory,” she added.