Tamadun Islam (Islamic Civilisation) should be made as an elective subject instead of a compulsory subject according to two leaders from MCA and DAP.

MCA Vice President, Gan Ping Sieu, in a statement on Saturday has urged the Ministry of Education to withdraw the decision which will be made effective for local students in private institutes of higher learning (IPTS), on 1 September 2013.

“Tamadun Islam which is derived from the religion of Islam, definitely merits research and further study to the same extent as the other world’s major religion-civilisations, including Judeo-Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist civilisations from the West, India and China. However the study has to be under taken on a voluntary, instead of a compulsory basis,” he said.

Citing Article 12(3) of the Federal Constitution which ensures freedom of religion for all Malaysian, Gan said mandating local students including non-Muslims at IPTS to study and sit for exams of a religion-civilisation study distinct from his own is ‘an unfair practice’.

Furthermore, he said even if religion-civilisation studies is provided as part of a university course, it should be made elective, instead of compulsory subject, pointing that it is the practice of top-ranked universities in the world.

Gan appeals to all Cabinet Ministers and the Ministry of Education to ensure the withdrawal of such policy and reach a win-win solution for all concerned.

Meanwhile, DAP’ Seremban member of Parliament, Anthony Loke Siew Fook said while the learning of Islamic Civilisation should be encouraged, however it should not be made compulsory.

“The understanding of the various civilisation is something good and should be encouraged in our education system. In fact, DAP has conducted inter-civilasational dialogues many times to promote understanding and respect among the communities in Malaysia,” he said.

Though he said DAP appreciates the effort to introduce Islamic Civilisation in IPTS, but the subject should be made as an elective subject instead of a compulsory subject.

He said making the subject compulsory will create a negative impact among students as if they had to forcefully sit for the subject.

“In fact, this compulsory approach will not create the element of understanding and the positive values that we hoped for,” said Loke.

He added that the values contained in the Islamic Civilisation and the Asian Civilisation should be nurtured not just at the tertiary level but at the secondary level as well.