KUALA LUMPUR - There is fear that racial prejudices will not be dealt with under 1Malaysia and this has posed the biggest hurdle to the concept, said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
"We should not hold on to prejudices and bias without understanding the real truth about ourselves," he said, urging Malaysians to be sincere in checking out their own prejudices.
"All of us should move together to find a common identity within our differences," he said in reply to Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit) in the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday.
The 1Malaysia agenda
The PM said there are three levels to the paradigm shift and attitude towards national unity.
- First level: Tolerance towards existing differences
- Second level: Full acceptance of such differences
- Third level: Feeling that our own differences are not barriers to national unity and that we can turn such diversity into a source of strength.
"The values of 1Malaysia has been on the national agenda since our independence, and this effort shouldn't be considered a seasonal attempt to unite Malaysians," he added.
National unity, said Najib, could not be forced or institutionalised through legal means.
"To ensure that national unity stays strong and durable, such attitudes should come voluntarily based on our own awareness - that our future lies in a collective effort to succeed.
"1Malaysia promotes a policy of fairness towards all races and no ethnic group must feel marginalised."
'Old wall must be torn down'
Najib added that the 1Malaysia idea can become a national formula to create a Malaysian race.
"Let's all move away from the definition of diversity among us and look for a mutual relationship. The old wall of self definition must be torn down and new bridges build to unify the people," he said.
The prime minister said the 1Malaysia concept has become a movement for the masses at the grassroots and was not just a government slogan.
He was also thankful and happy with the support from the people during his recent walkabouts in Petaling Street, Kampung Kerinchi and Brickfields as part of his efforts to go to the ground and meet the people.
Referring to a recent mult-racial wedding reception that he attended, involving two Malay couples, a Chinese couple and an Indian couple in Kapar, Selangor, Najib said: "I was overwhelmed by the support for 1Malaysia and the initiatives of the people to celebrate and identify 1Malaysia as a symbolic logo during the wedding."
"The 1Malaysia symbol has become so popular that corporate bodies and volunteer groups have adopted the logo as part of their corporate design for their uniforms or apparel," he said.
The alternative 'Middle Malaysia' concept
The prime minister said some quarters want to introduce an alternative concept called 'Middle Malaysia' but, he added, many others felt that the slogan is just a rebranding of the 'Malaysian Malaysia' concept (mooted by the DAP).
He said the people of Sabah and Sarawak as well as other Malaysians reject the alternative concept because it is not centred on the Constitution and national history.
On the other hand, he added, 1Malaysia provides people-centric plans and does not leave out efforts to help the pribumi (natives)," he said.
Asked by Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) about PM aide Nasir Safar, who had allegedly made racial remarks against the Chinese and Indians, Najib said action had already been taken against the officer.
Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) alleged that Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian had raised racial and religious sentiments against the Penang government and its chief minister.
"What is the Home Ministry going to do against these Umno-owned newspapers which tried to destroy the 1Malaysia concept?" he loudly asked.
Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar Radin, referring to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is Kit Siang's son: "That is a crony question."
Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee advised Kit Siang that he should follow procedures and raise the matter it after Question Time period was over.
Malaysian Mirror
16/03/10
"We should not hold on to prejudices and bias without understanding the real truth about ourselves," he said, urging Malaysians to be sincere in checking out their own prejudices.
"All of us should move together to find a common identity within our differences," he said in reply to Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit) in the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday.
The 1Malaysia agenda
The PM said there are three levels to the paradigm shift and attitude towards national unity.
- First level: Tolerance towards existing differences
- Second level: Full acceptance of such differences
- Third level: Feeling that our own differences are not barriers to national unity and that we can turn such diversity into a source of strength.
"The values of 1Malaysia has been on the national agenda since our independence, and this effort shouldn't be considered a seasonal attempt to unite Malaysians," he added.
National unity, said Najib, could not be forced or institutionalised through legal means.
"To ensure that national unity stays strong and durable, such attitudes should come voluntarily based on our own awareness - that our future lies in a collective effort to succeed.
"1Malaysia promotes a policy of fairness towards all races and no ethnic group must feel marginalised."
'Old wall must be torn down'
Najib added that the 1Malaysia idea can become a national formula to create a Malaysian race.
"Let's all move away from the definition of diversity among us and look for a mutual relationship. The old wall of self definition must be torn down and new bridges build to unify the people," he said.
The prime minister said the 1Malaysia concept has become a movement for the masses at the grassroots and was not just a government slogan.
He was also thankful and happy with the support from the people during his recent walkabouts in Petaling Street, Kampung Kerinchi and Brickfields as part of his efforts to go to the ground and meet the people.
Referring to a recent mult-racial wedding reception that he attended, involving two Malay couples, a Chinese couple and an Indian couple in Kapar, Selangor, Najib said: "I was overwhelmed by the support for 1Malaysia and the initiatives of the people to celebrate and identify 1Malaysia as a symbolic logo during the wedding."
"The 1Malaysia symbol has become so popular that corporate bodies and volunteer groups have adopted the logo as part of their corporate design for their uniforms or apparel," he said.
The alternative 'Middle Malaysia' concept
The prime minister said some quarters want to introduce an alternative concept called 'Middle Malaysia' but, he added, many others felt that the slogan is just a rebranding of the 'Malaysian Malaysia' concept (mooted by the DAP).
He said the people of Sabah and Sarawak as well as other Malaysians reject the alternative concept because it is not centred on the Constitution and national history.
On the other hand, he added, 1Malaysia provides people-centric plans and does not leave out efforts to help the pribumi (natives)," he said.
Asked by Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) about PM aide Nasir Safar, who had allegedly made racial remarks against the Chinese and Indians, Najib said action had already been taken against the officer.
Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) alleged that Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian had raised racial and religious sentiments against the Penang government and its chief minister.
"What is the Home Ministry going to do against these Umno-owned newspapers which tried to destroy the 1Malaysia concept?" he loudly asked.
Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar Radin, referring to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is Kit Siang's son: "That is a crony question."
Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee advised Kit Siang that he should follow procedures and raise the matter it after Question Time period was over.
Malaysian Mirror
16/03/10
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