UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL
MANY people, both locally and abroad, have looked to the French football team to prove a point that, despite having players from diverse backgrounds and not merely of French origin, the team could still score and win the World Cup.
It’s understandable because the Les Blues recently won the 2018 World Cup in style, their second in 20 years. However, 90 per cent of its players have migrant background and no one, including the political parties in France, has questioned the diversity in this team.
We, in Malaysia, used to have similar glories in the 1970s and 1980s, where our national football team had many legends of diverse ethnic backgrounds, such as Mokhtar Dahari, Soh Chin Aun, Santokh Singh and R. Arumugam.
Formally established in 1963, the Malaysian football team was one of Asia’s most formidable in that era and it had also inspired Ola Bola, a box office sports football film directed by Chiu Keng Guan in 2016.
The film was inspired by the glories of the Malaysian national football team which successfully entered the 1980 Summer Olympics.
Many Malaysians, particularly the older generation, might have known the “Harimau Malaya” team, which had a mix of players, including Hassan Sani, Wong Fook Chuan, N. Thanabalan and James Wong.
Our history, including the composition and success of our football team, has an important lesson for all of us in terms of diversity and unity.
It is essential for Malaysians to learn from the football experiences and achievements that we can succeed as a nation.
Clearly, the most urgent task of all Malaysians — irrespective of race, religion and political affiliation — is to ensure racial and religious harmony in our beloved nation.
As responsible and patriotic Malaysians, it is our profound duty to work for peace, harmony, unity and refrain from acts of provocation and violence which will result in conflict and chaos.
Looking at racial and religious issues being exploited by certain quarters, I hope that Malaysians will never allow the harmonious relations to be threatened by racial polarisation, which could lead to discord, and lack of understanding and mutual respect.
To prevent Malaysians from drifting apart, it is the people of all races who must be concerned about the future of our nation and be prepared to be ethnic bridge builders and not ethnic heroes.
I believe that the adoption of the Rukun Negara principles and in-depth understanding of the Federal Constitution is the cornerstone.
An in-depth understanding and practice of Rukun Negara is essential for our young generation, who are the future leaders of our country.
We should also find ways to improve the understanding of the five principles as expounded in the Rukun Negara, especially among the younger generation.
It is our duty to propagate and promote the five principles of the Rukun Negara and help reinforce patriotism among the people.
With better awareness and understanding of the principles of the Rukun Negara, our children will accept the fact that Malaysia is a unique country in which its people of diverse races and religions can live safely and respect each other.
Multiracial living and community are part of our history and heritage. They have become a key source of racial integration for years and have played a part in making Malaysia a harmonious place to live, learn, work and play.
We need to remember that tolerance and respect among the ethnic groups, as outlined in the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara, are key to peace and harmony in a multiracial and religious country like Malaysia.
To this effect, I would like to share a brilliant quote by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah: “Malaysians of all races, religions and geographic locations need to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have a place under the Malaysian sun.”