Honouring the three great symbols

AS we celebrate our 58th Merdeka anniversary this Aug 31, let’s remind ourselves the importance of honouring our nation’s three great symbols.

The Rukun Negara, our national philosophy, was proclaimed exactly 45 years ago, on Aug 31, 1970.

The principles enshrined in the Rukun Negara encompass upholding religious values, loyalty to King and country, the supremacy of the Constitution, abiding by the rule of the law and creating a society in which mutual respect, justice and equality prevail.

Negaraku was established as our national anthem at the time of our independence in 1957. Each time we hear or sing the anthem, it is meant to inspire patriotic fervour for unity, progress and happiness among all our people, and to invoke God’s blessings on our Ruler and the people of our nation.

The Jalur Gemilang, our national flag, as it stands today, comprises: 14 alternating red and white stripes of equal width, representing the equal status of the 13 states in our country, and the federal government; and a canton bearing a 14-point star representing the unity between these entities, and a crescent representing Islam, the country’s official religion.

The blue canton of the flag symbolises the unity of the Malaysian people, while the yellow of the star and crescent is the royal colour of the Malay Rulers.

This Merdeka anniversary, let’s recognise that it is incumbent upon every Malaysian, young and old, to appreciate and practise the noble tenets and values that these great symbols signify – aimed at enhancing unity among all, regardless of their ethnic origin, religious or political affiliation, and to promote stability and success for our nation and people.

Rueben Dudley

Petaling Jaya