Our unity is our humanity

TODAY, Malaysia Day, should be a day for all Malaysians regardless of background and age to reflect on our nation’s achievements and how it is to be for the future.

A historic day like this should be able to rekindle the spirit of patriotism in the hearts of all multi-racial Malaysians.

There is a long road ahead of our nation and it is important for us to ensure that multi-racial Malaysia continues to be a country that has a conducive and encouraging environment for Malaysians to develop their potential to the fullest.

Malaysia was officially formed on September 16, 1963, when 11 states under the Federation of Malaya merged with Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak. Singapore withdrew from Malaysia in 1965.

The vast South China Sea, which separates peninsular Malaysia from Sabah and Sarawak, should not a barrier for multi-ethnic Malaysians to share the same hope and aspiration. Together, the people of Malaysia have achieved a lot of progress and milestones in various fields.

Malaysians in the peninsula should learn from those in Sabah and Sarawak where people of diverse ethnicity, religion and custom live together in harmony and peace. Malaysians in Sabah and Sarawak, meanwhile, must continue to support the country’s social integration so that sustainable progress can continue to be enjoyed not only by the present but future generations too.

The Federal Government should ensure a close bond between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak, especially in making sure that the people in these states enjoy equitable development and modernisation.

After 53 years, we, regardless of the states we come from, should be more united because we share the same hopes, dreams and goals.

I have always believed that to be a Malaysian, it does not make a person less Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, Bidayuh or others. We should all proudly identify ourselves first as Malaysian.

We need to strengthen solidarity, especially in the current challenging domestic and external environments. History proves that Malaysia is able to overcome any challenges if its people are united and overcome the adversities together.

In fact, our diversity is our strength and the recipe for success in achieving development and socio-economic progress.

Looking at the current situation where racial polarisation remains a serious issue, the need to strengthen social harmony and unity has become important now more than ever.

We must never allow the harmonious relations among the various races to be threatened by racial polarisation, which could lead to racial discord and lack of understanding and mutual respect. Racial polarisation is a major obstacle to national integration and unity.

Malaysians must oppose religious bigotry and racial extremism and instead stand up for moderation.

We need to appreciate the concept of unity under 1Malaysia where everyone accepts the uniqueness of the others.

Every Malaysian must give serious attention to the concept of unity and togetherness based on the noble values and integrity taught by all religions.

Unity is an invaluable gift for Malaysians. It should not be taken for granted as it is a symbol of humanity for our country.

We should never deal with any issues with our emotions, but instead we should face them with maturity, moderation and mutual understanding in order to find solutions based on dialogues and consensus.

Patriotism or love for the nation is an important factor in determining the success of our country as we commemorate another year of Malaysia Day.

For this year’s Malaysia Day, we must renew our sense of love for the nation and help support the country’s resolution to bolster its identity in the international arena. TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE Trustee 1 Malaysia Foundation