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Local

Interlok – The word `Pariah’ made a controversy

Kuala Lumpur,Jan 21 - After a month of debates, no clear solution has surfaced over the “Interlok” controversy despite a meeting between Deputy Education Minister Puad Zarkashi and representatives of the Indian community yesterday.

“Interlok”, written by National Laureate Datuk Abdullah Hussein, is currently used as a literature textbook for Form Five, beginning this year.

Academics and writers, including this writer, have argued the book should not be banned or defaced, but read and understood to obtain the context in which the word is used. However, there has been an overwhelming reaction from the Indian community against the book.

Source - The Malaysian Insider

In my view :

Based on what I heard from my sister who read this novel, “Interlok” tells the story of the three races at the turn of the century through Seman, Chin Huat and Maniam and their families which are the main characters in this novel for  three chapters. However,after read it myself for a few  pages,  I found that the book actually tell us something about their time. They are representative of the vernacular and social attitudes. They are crucial in establishing our identity. About not forgetting where we came from. Lest we be doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

International

Peddler's martyrdom launched Tunisia's revolution

Reuters -TUNIS, Jan 21 -  It began with a slap and an insult hurled at a vegetable seller in a small town surrounded by scrub and cactus. It ended with a revolution that has shaken authoritarian leaders across the Arab world.

The chronicle :-

Jan 18 

•    Tunisia’s prime minister has appointed a new unity government. Three opposition ministers quit Tunisia’s new coalition government in protest against the presence of members of the party of ousted leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

Jan 19

•  Tunisia’s new national unity government ran into trouble yesterday when four ministers quit and an opposition party threatened to walk out, undermining efforts to restore stability and end unrest on the streets.

Jan 20

• The prime minister and president left the party this week.

Source - REUTERS

According to The New York Times, an effort to appease the protesters by firing the country's interior minister was unsuccessful, as the frustrated demonstrators demanded the removal of the president, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. Blogger Ethan Zuckerman thinks that, despite government efforts to quell protesters, there is a good chance the Ben Ali government will fall anyway. In my conclusion, the government is attempting to take action as Tunisian protesters make their way to the capital.