Racist-toned question in UPSR exam? – Ravinder Singh

While the UPSR exam paper leaks are being investigated, there is another matter that the Education Ministry needs to clarify: Was the following a question in the Malay language paper:

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15. Nilai hidup diatas adalah sebahagian daripada identiti masyarakat Malaysia.

Masyarakat manakah yang sering dikaitkan dengannya?

A. Cina

B. Iban

C. India

D. Melayu

If it was in the exam paper, then some questions need answers:

1. What aspect of Bahasa Melayu was this question testing the pupils on?

2. What is the evidence on which this question is based that only one of the listed communities is known to practise these values more than the others?

3. Is the question (if it was indeed in the paper) in keeping with the spirit of 1Malaysia?

4. Why was the question which is racist in nature put in the exam paper?

I tried to get a verification and sent e-mails to two officers in the examinations division, ie rofizah.jamaluddin @moe.gov.my and johara.wahab@moe.gov.my, but have not received any response.

It is important for the Education Ministry to clear the air on this – was there such a question in the Malay language paper or not? If there was, why?

* Ravinder Singh reads The Malaysian Insider.