National Sovereignty Responsibility Of Every Citizen - JAPEN

TUMPAT, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- The sovereignty of the country is not the exclusive responsibility of security forces such as the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), but rather a shared trust and responsibility of every citizen.

Kelantan Malaysian Information Department (JAPEN) director Ahmad Ammar Othman said that all layers of society need to play a role in maintaining the country's peace, unity and harmony.

"The sovereignty of a nation is not merely related to border lines or control at the water and land entry gates, but also encompasses the ability of the people to live in peace, preserve culture, and defend their identity and way of life from any threats.

"When we talk about national sovereignty, we are actually discussing dignity, freedom, and the right to determine the direction of our own nation," he said when met by reporters after officiating the state-level Kita MADANI Carnival in Kelantan at Pulau Sri Tujung here today.

Ahmad Ammar said that threats to national sovereignty do not necessarily have to take the form of weapons; instead, they can occur through division, the spread of fake news, and propaganda that can damage societal unity.

The community is urged to embrace the concept of 'Kedaulatan Negara, Tanggungjawab Bersama' (National Sovereignty, Shared Responsibility) through the practice of integrity, self-identity and respect for the law.

"Meanwhile, at the community level, the people need to strengthen the bonds of neighbourly relations, maintain harmony between races and religions, and together combat negative elements at the grassroots level," he said.

He said that the people also need to play a role as ethical social media users by not spreading slander, fake news, or content that can undermine public harmony.

The Kita MADANI Karnival is one of the main platforms of JAPEN in conveying information related to government policies and initiatives, as well as national messages based on the Malaysia MADANI concept directly to the local community.

This programme brings together various government agencies and departments as well as private entities as strategic partners to strengthen the effort of delivering government information to the people.

-- BERNAMA