A needless distraction

There is no necessity to make khat a compulsory part of Bahasa Melayu in schools when it is just a form of artistic expression.

IN English, the word ‘khat’ is used to refer to the leaves of an Arabian bush that are either chewed or made into tea. ‘Khat’ is deemed an illegal drug in some countries because the leaves contain an opiate-like stimulant, much like our ‘ketum’.