Young generation Holds Key To Nation-Building

During an interview with Bernama, held amid the final preparations for the state-level National Unity Week in June, Sabah National Unity and Integration Department director Rina Ab Harun occasionally glanced at the programme displayed on her tablet to ensure that every detail reflected the objectives of the celebration.

Elaborating on the purpose and objectives of the events lined up throughout the four-day celebration at the grounds of Stadium Likas here, Rina said the rationale behind the careful planning was to ensure that it remained aligned with the concept of “moments of unity”, which formed the core of the celebration.

This year’s National Unity Week celebration, held between April and June and themed ‘Bersama Membina Negara Bangsa’ (Building the Nation Together), covered six zones nationwide, including Sabah.

The theme underscores efforts to strengthen ties among Malaysia’s multiracial communities while highlighting the importance of preserving the values of unity that form the foundation of the country’s harmony today.

In this context, young people are regarded as a crucial group as they are the inheritors of a nation built on a shared history and diversity, while also being the generation that will shape the values of togetherness and translate them into everyday community life.

The question is: how can the younger generation be made to understand the importance of unity, and what are the initiatives in place to ensure that they appreciate and practise these values in their daily lives?

ECOSYSTEM

Rina stressed that building unity is not a seasonal campaign, but a lifelong process that must begin at a young age through an ecosystem encompassing education, experience and exposure – from preschool to university, and from the classroom to the community.

The philosophy of ‘bend the bamboo while it is still a shoot’ is clearly reflected in efforts to instil the foundations of harmony from the preschool years through the establishment of the Community Kindergarten or ‘Tabika Perpaduan’ by the Ministry of National Unity, which exposes children to life in a multiracial society.

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She said there are currently 1,781 community kindergartens nationwide, with 144 of them located in Sabah.

“These centres bring together children from diverse backgrounds to learn, play and grow in an environment of mutual respect and cross-cultural understanding from an early age,” she said.

The strength of these kindergartens lies in their specially designed curriculum, which incorporates the Rukun Negara Module to instil its five principles through activities such as singing, storytelling and civic education, helping to shape young minds that understand the value of unity in a multiracial society.

These efforts continue into the school years through the Rukun Negara Club, with 6,849 such clubs currently established in primary and secondary schools nationwide. The clubs are student-led and conduct a range of activities centred on unity.

“It is not merely a co-curricular club, but an important platform for students to embrace national values, develop leadership skills and learn how to live harmoniously in a multiracial society,” said Rina.

She added that the Rukun Negara Secretariat (SRN), which is currently operating in 193 public and private higher education institutions nationwide, was introduced to empower university students while serving as a bridge between the government and young campus leaders.

Rina said students are encouraged to plan and lead activities such as unity forums, volunteer programmes, interfaith dialogues, cultural festivals and civic education campaigns.

The approach, she said, was aimed not only at producing youths who are academically accomplished but also actively contribute to community development.

EXPERIENCE

Beyond classroom learning and co-curricular activities, young people’s appreciation of unity is further enriched through direct interaction with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Rina said her department implements various programmes to broaden youth participation in nation-building, including the National Unity Integration Movement programme at schools, which promotes cultural exchange, mutual respect and Malaysia’s diversity.

It is easy to speak of unity when giving speeches and uttering slogans, but walking the talk is perhaps harder.

“The Rukun Negara Youth Tour was introduced as a new programme this year to strengthen literacy, understanding and appreciation of the Rukun Negara values in the daily lives of university students,” she said.

The Student Integration Network, meanwhile, provides university students with opportunities to engage with peers from other campuses and strengthen unity among institutions, while the Unity Debate and Rukun Negara Speech platforms help hone young people’s ability to articulate their visions for Malaysia’s future.

In addition, the Archives@School programme and Night in the Museum programme are conducted to bring students closer to the country’s history through interactive and meaningful learning experiences.

Rina said the Archives@School programme enables students to explore history using authentic archival documents and artefacts, making the learning process more engaging while fostering appreciation for Malaysia’s cultural heritage and nurturing a sense of identity rooted in the country’s history and achievements.

The Night in the Museum programme, conducted in collaboration with the Department of Museums Malaysia, serves as a platform for students to appreciate the country’s history and cultural heritage through camping activities.

She added that the experience-based approach enables students to see themselves as part of the long journey of civilisation, with diversity viewed as a national asset rather than a liability.

ACTION

Student participation in volunteer work represents another dimension in cultivating the value of unity as it provides them with opportunities to interact with communities, understand the realities faced by society and contribute to nation-building.

Rina said under the ‘MADANI Berkhidmat: Student Volunteer Mission’, in collaboration with the Student Volunteers Foundation (YSS) – an entity under the Ministry of National Unity – university students have been deployed to serve communities, with the aim of developing their sense of identity, leadership and empathy.

Sharing her experience of participating in a volunteer mission on Pulau Banggi near Kudat, Sabah, Rina said the involvement of university students demonstrated young people’s willingness to contribute to the community through various activities, including helping to provide educational support to children in the area.

“Students from different ethnic backgrounds worked in teams to meet the local community, experience their way of life and understand the culture of the environment in which they live.

“Unity through community service is a powerful model for shaping a resilient, principled and compassionate younger generation,” she said.

She said all these programmes reflect the government’s continued commitment to shaping a future generation that is capable of preserving, strengthening and redefining its values for the future.

Rina said nation-building is an important direction in strengthening unity while ensuring that Malaysia’s multiracial society can live harmoniously on the principles of togetherness and mutual respect. She also stressed that unity must be carefully nurtured and managed to ensure it remains intact.

“Nation-building cannot depend solely on physical development. We need to develop together, both economically and socially, by placing emphasis on values, cultivating a national spirit and strengthening young people’s collective awareness of our history, constitution and the fundamental principles of nationhood.

“This country will, of course, be inherited by the younger generation, who will shape the leadership of the future. That is why we need to build our own nation without setting aside the history of our plural society and the diversity that is part of who we are.

“Differences in culture, religion and ethnicity should not be viewed as weaknesses or shortcomings. Instead, we should embrace them as advantages and strengths that enable us to move forward together to understand, respect, accept and celebrate diversity.

“This is who we are. This is our nation. This is our culture. This is our country. Love our country,” she said.