INTERLOK – A summary for lazy people who like to judge before reading the book

Since I have been receiving many questions by (mostly) lazy Malaysian who never read the book but not ashamed to judge the book based on what they read in by pro-Opposition propaganda websites.

The last time I read this book was in the late 80's but I still remember what it is about.

This article will be divided into 2 sections : (a) Why the book was choosen (b) Why the brouhaha over it?

WHY THE BOOK WAS CHOOSEN?

The Interlock book is a great literary work by Sasterawan Negara Abdullah Hussain. It depicted the life in Tanah Melayu (Malaysia) during the colonial period. This book has been published almost 40 plus years ago and are easily available in bookshops before it was made as part of KOMSAS.

The reason it was chosen because it was in-line with the 1Malaysia spirit that the Govt is trying to build - a united Malaysia.

The book talks about:

• Helping one another regardless of race - Seman rescued Poh Eng when he brought him to Maniam's estate. Maniam agreed to put Poh Eng under his care until the situation was ok.

• Respecting the elders - Mat Rangi respected the decision of Lebai to marry Seman to his daughter although initially he had some reservation about Seman.

• Being appreciative/thankful to others - Poh Eng clarified to his father that Seman was the person who had rescued him. Initially Poh Eng's father thought Seman kidnapped his child.

• Spirit of unity - Yew Seng and Lazim still play with and respected one another although Cing Huat was initially against their friendship. Everybody visited Musa when his father died.

• Love the family - Maniam loves his pregnant wife, Malini. He had a hard time to leave her. Seman also show his love towards his father by staying all night to take care of him. Cing Huat also shows his love for his wife. Tua Pao - and child by taking them to safety to his inlaws house when Japanese troops arrived.

• Love the country - Lazim, Cing Huat and Raman defended their race and agreed that they must unite to create a peaceful nation. Yew Seng and Poh Eng realized that the communist movement that they joined is a sham. They saw that the real fight/struggle was the one that their father is doing.

• Patience & Positive Thinking - Seman started a new life with his mother after being kick out from his home/job. Maniam had to leave his wife in order to improve the life of his family.

WHY THE BROUHAHA?

8. One wonders why the sudden brouhaha over a well-known literary book published 40 plus years ago?

9. In Malaysia today, there are losers who are trying to use every way possible to create hatred amongst the people.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dap-to-use-interlok-in-tenang-says-kula/

10. Their objective is simple - to create disharmony, hatred and chaos among the people. Once chaos is spread, it would be easier for them to unseat the current Federal Government in the next General Election. Political expediency at all cost.

11. According to this people, the book is racist because it contained a certain word to describe a certain race.

Strangely, that same word is in the Oxforf Dictionary and Merriam-Webster! Even the on-line version of both dictionaries have that word:

a) Oxford - http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/pariah?view=get

b) Merriam-Webster - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pariah

12. Perhaps we can ask these losers to go and burn these two dictionaries too... LOL

13. The Government has decided that the Interlok novel will not be taken off the KOMSAS list instead will be ammended. Let us see if burning the above two dictionaries will make the British Government to ammend these two dictionaries.

14. It is vital because I can assure you that there are more people with an Oxford Dictionary in their house compared to the Interlok novel. We do not want our innocent children to stumble upon this word, do we? LOL

p/s: If the losers wanted to have a burning spree, below is the address of publishing home. Let me know the date and time so I can call Scotland Yard... LOL
- Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, United Kingdom +44(0) 1865 353705

Thanks to Fatimah Zuhri

IndeepTots:
What was George Washington's connection to black slavery? And yet Americans, despite blacks and any other races accept him as noble US President. In Interlock, theres much more good moral values rather than one look at race perspective.