1Malaysia Foundation Trustee Lee Lam Thye has suggested that a national consultative council be set up to address issues on national unity and racial integration.
Lee said the council
should be made up of representatives of interested groups or individuals
who could offer suggestions or ideas to help address the current
development.
"It is also to address key issues on how to bring the nation together
after a strongly heated and bitterly-contested general election," he
said in a statement (reported by Bernama).
Lee also called on all political leaders and all
strata of society to immediately stop the drfit towards racial
polarisation.
"The time has come for us to identify more ethnic bridge builders and
emphasize on their crucial role, at this juncture, to break down the
serious racial divide in the larger interest of improving ethnic
relations in our country.
"Multiracial living and community are part of our history and heritage.
They have become a key source of racial integration for years and have
certainly played a part in making Malaysia a harmonious place to live,
learn, work and play," he said.
The Prime Minister had on Monday said the government
would embark on national reconciliation efforts to unite the people who
seemed divided in the 13th General Election.
International Movement for a Just World (JUST) president Dr Chandra
Muzaffar, who supported the formation of the council, said it was
important not only for national unity, but more so for the restoration
of racial relations.
"The council must represent all the political parties, individuals
within or outside the political arena who can contribute ideas on
solidarity and participate in sincere dialogues," he said.
However, Chandra said the prime minister must give detailed explanation
on the actual meaning of national reconciliation so that it would be
truly understood by every strata of society.
Chairman of the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation Tan Sri Razali
Ismail said all parties should support the idea thrown by the prime
minister, as we could not allow the tension arising from the general
election to worsen.
He stressed on the partiality of the government and its institutions,
saying that the effort to reconcile the nation must be done with the
acceptance of all races, and added that political parties should not
take advantage from the effort.
Another vital ingredient for national reconciliation, according to Razali was that the press must be free.
"What is not right must be mentioned by the press. We cannot reconcile
if the press is not free. The people must be made to have a say in the
press. This is to regain the ability in making the people believe what
has been distributed by the press," he said.
He added that national reconciliation was also needed to build national
consensus in addressing many internal or external issues.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Technology Policy and International
Studies Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) International
Campus, Profesor Dr Azmi Hassan said the quickest action that the
government could do towards national reconciliation was through the
formation of the cabinet.
"The make up of the cabinet members is most important to demonstrate
that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is transparent and sincere in
forming a Malaysian society and championing the cause of all races in
the country," said Azmi, who is also a Geostrategist Expert.
He said the cabinet that would be formed should still have a minister
from the Chinese community although the MCA had stated its stand not to
join the cabinet to honour the decision of the top party leadership
earlier.
Explaining further, Azmi said one of the measures that could be taken
by Najib in efforts to regain the support of the Chinese voters was to
make way for a representative from the Chinese non-governmental
organisation (NGO) to join the cabinet.
"The situation cannot be aggravated, that's why we must invite a group
that is trusted by the Chinese community such as the NGO in the fields
of social, education and economy. That is the best way to reconcile the
situation," he said.
For historian Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim, whatever measures
that were being implemented by the government now and in the future
towards national reconciliation, the most important question was the
schooling system.
He said it was possible that now was the time for the national
education system which emphasised on examination where the student must
memorise to obtain high marks be replaced with a system that absorbed
the spirit of patriotism among the students.
"We need to decide whether we want a national education system that
would turn the young generation into citizens that give priority to the
country or to become individuals who only think about self-interest," he
said.
DAP national deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the move to promote
the spirit of unity after the election process was timely, but any
racial sentiment must be checked first of all.
"Solidarity must be based on policies and statements that were not
inclined towards a particular race, religion or region alone," said Dr
Tan, who is also the Kepong Member of Parliament. -- BERNAMA
This exercise would be a waste of time. Would the chinese be willing to abolish chinese schools? NO. So why waste time.
ReplyDeleteMalaysians have evolved. To took 56 years in the making.
ReplyDeleteMalaysians are melding into one - the new Malaysian.
Please accept the fact that we are a new generation of Malaysians.
The new Malaysians have progressed. You can call us a new species if you would like. We are educated, our world is big, we have a wide outlook, we are well informed, etc. And above all, we know what freedom.
The new Malaysians do not look at skin colour before we make friends. This applies to all spectrum of age groups and social levels.
Only racists will continue to think along the lines of skin colour. Stop it !
No more "katak dalam tempurung" attitude please !
Malaysia has progressed.
interesting point, really enjoy your blog and your take on relevant issues!
ReplyDeletekeep up the good work!