Strengthening Rukun Negara Preamble Key To Reviving National Ideals – Academics

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Bernama) – Efforts to strengthen the Rukun Negara Preamble should go beyond refining its language and seek to revive public understanding and appreciation of the national aspirations underpinning Malaysia's nation-building journey, an academic said.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Academic Heritage Museum director Associate Professor Dr Mohd Samsudin said the public, particularly the younger generation, needed to understand not only the five principles of the Rukun Negara but also the history, purpose and aspirations behind its formation.

"While the language can be refined to improve understanding, the original spirit, principles, philosophy and essence of the Rukun Negara must be preserved.

"The ultimate aim is to move society from recitation to understanding, from understanding to appreciation and ultimately to putting these values into practice in daily life," he said in a statement today.

Mohd Samsudin, who is also a senior lecturer at UKM's Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSK), said refining the language of the preamble was worth considering in line with the development of the Malay language, to ensure its original message and aspirations remained accessible to today's generation.

However, he said any language adjustments should be minimal and carefully considered, focusing on grammar, sentence structure and the use of standard terms that were easier to understand.

He said the original text should remain the primary reference as it also reflected the historical experiences and thinking at the time of its formulation.

"The process also requires careful review by experts in language, the Constitution, history and nationhood to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of its meaning are preserved.

"The fundamental principle is to strengthen public understanding and appreciation, not to create a new Rukun Negara or amend its original content," he said.

His views were echoed by International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) constitutional and public law expert Datuk Associate Professor Dr Shamrahayu Ab Aziz, who said adapting the Rukun Negara did not mean rewriting history or disregarding the original intentions behind its establishment.

Instead, she said, it was an effort to ensure that the national philosophy remained relevant to societal developments and the needs of the current generation.

"The Rukun Negara should not be viewed merely as a historical document or a source of nostalgia, but should continue to serve as the country's identity, a compass for national values and a shared guide in building a united, harmonious, sovereign and progressive nation," she said in a separate statement.

Shamrahayu also stressed that as the Rukun Negara was an official document gazetted through a Royal Proclamation, any effort to adapt or amend it must take into account the relevant legal and procedural requirements, including provisions under the Interpretation Acts 1948 and 1967 (Act 388).

She also proposed the development of a Rukun Negara Explanatory Document to provide further clarification on the history, meaning and interpretation of each national aspiration in the context of present-day realities.

At its meeting on Oct 9, the Cabinet agreed to enhance the Rukun Negara by improving its preamble without changing its meaning or the existing five principles.

-- BERNAMA