PETALING JAYA: Civic consciousness among Malaysians seems to be waning, as can be seen through numerous cases of road rage, rude graffiti and general impoliteness.
This has prompted an actor to suggest that the Education Ministry revert to teaching Tatarakyat instead of the current Civic Education curriculum.
In a Facebook post on Aug 12, Zulkifli Ismail, who is best known for his role as ASP Razlan in the Gerak Khas television series, shared an image of an old Tatarakyat textbook, titled Tatara’yat adalah kera’ayatan yang baik (Civic responsibility is good citizenship), co-written by C. Michael and T. Daniel and published in 1966.
“I suggest that Tatarakyat be reintroduced as a subject in schools nationwide, be they national, vernacular, religious, private or others. This will help nurture more courteous and well-mannered citizens,” he said.
The Tatarakyat textbook was used in schools in the 1970s and 1980s when civics was initially introduced as a separate subject by the Education Ministry in 1953.
However, as part of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, it was removed from the curriculum, and incorporated into core subjects, such as Islamic History for Muslim students and moral studies for others.
Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the content of the original Tatarakyat subject and the current Civic Education curriculum share a common foundation in promoting civic awareness and social responsibility.
“It covers civic knowledge, brief history, manners, cross-cultural understanding and the principles of the Rukun Negara. The principles and values of civic education and the essence of whatTatarakyat represents are to instil civic responsibility and social etiquette.
“This still holds significant importance in shaping the moral fabric of our youth, although there is a significant difference in how these subjects are delivered by educators,” she added.
Noor Azimah said Tatarakyat was taught with a practical, hands-on approach, making the lessons more relatable and impactful.
“However, external factors today such as the increased emphasis on religious teachings have influenced the way civic consciousness is instilled in society.
“This sometimes creates a more fragmented understanding of civic duties among students. Rather than merely reintroducing older versions of civic education, a more profound cultural shift is needed within the education system.”
Instead of reintroducing civics as a standalone subject, she suggested enhancing the current curriculum and ensuring that elements of civic consciousness are woven into various subjects, including religious studies.
She said a transformation, akin to how the Japanese integrate living skills into their daily school routine, would be more effective, but this would take at least a generation to become established.
She said the focus should be on embedding life skills and civic-mindedness into the everyday experiences of students, ensuring such values become second nature over time.
Noor Azimah added that while the importance of instilling good social values such as politeness, cleanliness and respect for public spaces is addressed in theory within the existing curriculum, it is insufficient.
“Such values must be put into daily practice. For true change to occur, parents, school leaders and teachers must lead by example, demonstrating these values consistently for students to emulate.
“Attention should be directed towards addressing the root causes of division, particularly the rhetoric of politicians who exploit race and religion for their own gain.
“Laws should be enforced to curb such divisive tactics before they escalate, ensuring that the principles of unity and civic responsibility are upheld at all levels of society.”
