Justice, Equal Opportunities Key To Strengthening National Unity

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- National unity is not merely a slogan to be chanted, but must be translated into efforts to ensure justice, equal opportunities and the confidence that all Malaysians share a common future. 

Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Distinguished Fellow Datuk Dr Anis Yusal Yusoff said the approach taken by the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in addressing unity issues following the May 13, 1969 incident demonstrated that peace alone did not mean that a society was truly united. 

“Tun Razak’s legacy reminds us that unity cannot be imposed, forced, or merely proclaimed. 

“Unity must be built through justice, consultation, equal opportunities and the confidence that despite all our differences, our future remains a shared future,” he said. 

He said this in his speech during the Bicara Negarawan session at a programme to commemorate the statesman at the Tun Abdul Razak Memorial here today. 

Anis Yusal also urged Malaysians to appreciate Tun Abdul Razak’s efforts to foster unity through the Rukun Negara and the New Economic Policy (NEP). 

He said the two frameworks should not be viewed separately, as the Rukun Negara provides a compass for the type of society that the country seeks to build, while the NEP addresses economic imbalances. 

He said unity should also not be regarded as the sole responsibility of the Ministry of National Unity, as policies on education, housing, employment, poverty eradication, governance and integrity also determine how Malaysians experience justice. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged the younger generation not to merely remember Tun Abdul Razak as a historical figure, but to rekindle the statesman’s spirit of struggle and ideas in confronting the challenges of nation-building. 

“Remembering a statesman can uncover history, inspire change, revive the spirit of what is right to serve as lessons and guidance,” he said. 

The spirit of unity and racial harmony saw more than 100,000 people attend the 69th National Day celebration at Dataran Putrajaya on Aug 31 to celebrate patriotism and love for the country. 

-- BERNAMA