KUALA LUMPUR, -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak called on the people to go all out to defend the country's independence which has been enjoyed for the past 55 years.
The prime minister who was in high spirits also hoped that today's generation would not let the struggles for independence by former leaders go to waste or be jeopardized by any quarters.
"I would like to call on all people of Malaysia to close ranks so that we can move as 1Malaysia, one voice, one dream and one hope to make the 55th Independence day celebration merrier," he said when launching the 'Kibar Jalur Gemilang' campaign at Little India, Brickfields Tuesday night.
He said over the past 55 years of independence, the government has managed to keep and fulfill its promises.
"We have progressed because over the past 55 years, the government has fulfilled its promises to the people. We promised to have a country with a united multi-racial community and we managed to achieve that.
"We promised that the country will transform from an agriculture country to an industrial country and now we are aiming to turn it again into a fully developed and high-income nation," he said in front of about 15,000 people who gathered in earnest.
Najib also called on the people to fly the Jalur Gemilang to show their patriotism and loyalty to the country.
"Let us fly the Jalur Gemilang in all places, on our roof, outside the fence, on high-rise buildings, at shops, on our cars, taxis or any other vehicles, let the flag fly high," he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when launching a similar campaign in Kampung Baru, called on all quarters to fly the Jalur Gemilang to symbolise their loyalty, unity, courage, determination and patriotism to achieve the vision of excellence.
He said the Jalur Gemilang was not only a flag, but a symbol of sovereignty of the country.
"The 'Jalur' or the stripes portray the same objective and direction and the 'Gemilang' is the level of excellence that we want to achieve and the symbols and colours used also symbolised the people and the ambition of the country under the concept of 1Malaysia," he said.
Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim who is the the Independence Day celebrations organising committee chairman said the spirit to fly the Jalur Gemilang should be inculcated among all races in the country.
He said the spirit of patriotism and loyalty to the country should be defended to ensure that the country would remain peaceful and the people would be able to live in peace and harmony.
In Petaling Street, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai also expressed hope that the people will observe the spirit of independence by flying the Jalur Gemilang voluntarily without waiting for free flags from the government.
He said the campaign would symbolise the unity of the multi-racial people in the country in appreciating the true meaning of independence.
"The tolerance approach which we practiced all this while has become the chain that united us all," he added.
-- BERNAMA
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