[Kesian Umno..... apalah punya idea. Merusakkan minda kanak-kanak sahaja. Tidakkah kanak-kanak itu terkilan memikirkan bagaimana pemimpin Umno membuntingkan pelajar tetapi lepas begitu sahaja. Itu belum masuk lagi kes membawa beg berkilo-kilo di luar negara dan mengutuk ulamak dan ugama. Bukan itu sahaja - mendakwa seseorang tanpa kesaksian yang sah di sisi ugama dan menafikan rawatan sehingga mangsa mungkin lumpuh di sepanjang hayatnya. - Editor]

09Jul2001

Sing party anthem to children, Umno members urged.

By Ian Stewart in Kuala Lumpur.

The head of the youth wing of the United Malays National Organisation, the dominant partner in the ruling National Front coalition, has urged members to sing the party anthem to their children.

His call is the latest effort by party leaders to prevent young Malays becoming opposition supporters. The aim seems to be to indoctrinate them with the anthem's exaltation of the party as champion of the Malay race before they start school and come under the influence of teachers with a sceptical view of the establishment.

Party officials have become increasingly concerned over widespread anti-government attitudes in schools and universities. This has resulted in a crackdown on undergraduate opponents of the administration, including the arrest of two activists under the Internal Security Act, which provides for detention without trial.

Police disclosed at the weekend the arrest under the act of Mohamad Fuad Ikhwan, 22, president of the Students' Representative Council of the University of Malaya. On Thursday, the act was used to detain Khairul Anuar Zainuddin, 24, an engineering student at the government-funded Mara Training Institute.

Hishammuddin Hussein, head of the party's youth wing and the son of a former prime minister, said parents were the most influential people in developing children's minds.

"We want members to instil love for the party in their children," he said. "I urge members to sing the Umno song as a lullaby to their children and make them appreciate the struggles of our past leaders."

Mr Hishammuddin said members could explain to children the importance of joining the party and its nation-building work.

"We hope (the children) will be interested in joining the party when they get older," he said.

Mr Hishammuddin was speaking after launching the My Child An Umno Member programme. He said the programme was established after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad challenged the youth wing to attract more young people to the party. He said the youth wing would ensure a balance between politics and studies among children.

In a reference to the anti-government trend among young people, he said the party opposed "the emergence of negative and extremist elements" among students.

"Politics will be unhealthy if it veers towards hatred and lies and causes splits in the community," he said.