M'sian Skateboarding Group Calls Out MOE For Depicting Them As 'Immoral' In Textbook
A question in the government textbook suggests that teenagers who skate "have no appreciation for religion or beliefs in life."
By May Vin Ang — 29 Apr 2022, 09:57 AM
It has been brought to a local skateboarding group's attention that a government high school textbook has been depicting the skateboarding community as "immoral"
Expressing dissatisfaction over the situation, Skate Malaysia shared a photo of the scenario found in the Form 2 Pendidikan Moral textbook on Instagram and said, "Looks like skateboarders are still seen as immoral individuals."
In the caption of the post, they asked, "What really was the textbook publisher's motive? What's wrong with skateboarding?"
The offensive textbook question reads, "The situation below shows the behaviour of teenagers who have no appreciation for religion or beliefs in life."
It is accompanied by an illustration of four teenagers, some in school uniform, sporting skateboards. The questions that followed ask students how they feel about it.
The scenario comes from a chapter titled 'Religion or Beliefs Shape a Noble Personality' in the textbook published in 2017.
The group said the textbook scenario is slander towards the sport and gives a negative perception of their community to the public
"We are sad because this is slander and gives a negative impression towards our community. It teaches our society to look down upon skateboarders. Why educate them wrongly?" they said.
The group pointed out that skateboarding is a sports event that is recognised in the Asian Games, SEA Games, and even the Olympics.
"Are they aware that skateboarding was an event competed in the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang, the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines, and the latest being the 2020 Tokyo Olympics?" they asked.
"Skateboarding is a (recreational) sport. It is not an immoral activity that brings about 'no appreciation for religion or beliefs in life'."
13-year-old Momiji Nishiya from Japan became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in skateboarding at the Tokyo 2020 games last year.
Image via The IndependentSkate Malaysia called on Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin and Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Faizal Azumu to address the matter promptly
"We, as the skateboarding community in Malaysia, are unsatisfied and hope that all these textbooks can be disposed of and edited or reprinted," they suggested.
"Educate the people, especially the younger generation, in the right and smart way," they added.
SAYS has reached out to Radzi's communications team for comment about the issue.
