SIBU: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) has been urged to be more sensitive in its approach in dealing with people as Malaysia is a multi-racial country of different faiths.
Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said yesterday any improper and insensitive actions would not be facilitating the 1Malaysia agenda of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“I am surprised that Mara interviewers were asking Islamic religious questions for scholarship interviewees without counter checking the background of those they were interviewing.
“Mara should be more sensitive in its approach and know that Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country,” he told The Borneo Post.
Abdul Karim was referring to a recent incident, where a straight As student, Nigel Unchat Jeremaiah, claimed that he had participated in an ‘open question-and-answer session’, which touched on Islamic religious subjects.
Nigel was further reported to have claimed that candidates were asked on Islamic matters such as their understanding and opinion on the Hudud law, ‘rukun Solat’ and ‘adat menziarah jenazah’ among others.
Abdul Karim said he was unsure whether those religious questions were standard and mandatory interview questions and if they were, he felt sorry for Mara.
