Proposal to recite Rukun Negara discussed at national unity meeting

The proposed implementation of reciting the Rukun Negara pledge at official government events as well as in schools and institutions of higher learning and the Malaysia Madani Unity Framework were among items discussed at the National Unity Advisory Council’s first meeting today.

The meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof (above), who is also the council’s chairperson, also discussed the results of the National Unity Index study and proposals to empower the Neighbourhood Watch Areas.

“The meeting also received feedback from council members regarding new efforts and initiatives that have been implemented to empower the national unity agenda,” the National Unity Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the meeting also focused on the reporting of the implementation of programmes that are being and will be implemented by the ministry under the Kembara Perpaduan flagship, which covers three main clusters, namely ‘Semarak Kenegaraan’, ‘Semarak Perpaduan’ and ‘Program Komuniti Rahmah’.

During the meeting, Fadillah said the community should join hands to make the Malaysia Madani concept, introduced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a success to further expedite the nation-building process through a strong core of unity in facing various challenges.

“The integrity of unity is the key to harmony, prosperity and well-being of the people and the country,” said Fadillah.

The statement said the deputy prime minister also advised Malaysians to shun extremists who sow divisiveness and fan the flames of racism that can cause disunity and disharmony in the country.

It said Fadillah also emphasised the decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong when officiating the National Unity Week Celebration in Kuching, Sarawak on May 21, that the value of unity is made a national asset to secure the future, reduce the disparity among the people and the home is used as the starting point for the practice of unity.

The ministry added that its members also had the responsibility to think of efforts that need to be implemented in line with the new unity framework that the ministry has developed based on the idea of Unity in Diversity to realise the concept of Malaysia Madani.

- Bernama