KOTA KINABALU, Aug 5 — Khat, or Arabic calligraphy, can be taught in schools but only as an optional curriculum, Sabah PKR chief Datuk Christina Liew said today.

Liew, who is also deputy chief minister, said students are already inundated by a heavy syllabus, and urged the education ministry not to make it a compulsory subject.

"We are of the view that if the Ministry of Education wants it to be taught in school, if the parents agree and the students would enjoy it, do it, but make it option,” she said.

Liew likened the subject to Chinese calligraphy, where students with interest in the subject can opt to take it as an elective.

"Same case here with Jawi. If the parents agree, let them do it, but don’t force it and make it mandatory subject. Already the students are very burdened by heavy syllabus, Chinese, English, Malay now you want to add another one…,” she said.

Liew further said that Sabah has also got its own ethnic languages like Kadazandusun to teach.

Pursuant to the subject, Liew said that the federal government should be more conscious of consulting with the state before making decisions which affect the state on education matters.

She said that this was in line with talks between the federal government and the state to return education matters to the State.

"The Sabah Education Department should be able to decide on policies here. If it affects our syllabus, let us decide, don’t let it be that everything comes from federal and then Sabah is not consulted,” she said, naming the recent appointment of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah vice chancellor as an example of a federal government decision that the state was left out of.

"We would appreciate if the ministry at federal level can refer back to us and consult us whatever policies or appointment they want to do,” she said.

Despite protests from several groups, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said that the government will go ahead with its decision to introduce the study of khat to primary four students next year.