PUTRAJAYA, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Monday night a generation attuned to moderation must be built to forge a better world with greater cohesion and understanding.
He said that for too long extremists had been allowed to take centre stage and drown out the voice of the moderates, and that hence this should be changed.
"To me, the real battle that is upon us today is not a battle of religions or race but rather a battle between the extremists and the moderates," he said at the opening of the First Ladies Summit 2010 themed "A Child Today, A Leader Tomorrow", at the prime minister's official residence, Seri Perdana, here.
Also present were his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is the patron of the summit, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
Najib said special attention should also be given to the areas of informal education and the shaping of the world view among the children, besides their education and care as well as the challenges faced in ensuring that every child was given a fair chance in getting nutrition, affection and protection.
He said that even with focus placed on formal education, pedagogy, syllabus and physical well-being, a child's world view could still be affected by the things he doesn't learn from books or in the classroom.
"Sometimes a child models his behaviour on his observation of the things said and done by the parents. Even little utterances and jibes can have an enormous impact on how a child views the people and the world around him.
"This is the 'programming' that takes place, sometimes without us even being aware. We must look into these elements with some depth if we are to examine the best ways of creating moderate, sensible leaders of tomorrow, free from prejudice and bigotry," he said.
Najib said that in whatever fields and disciplines a leader was created by any nation, he must have the prerequisite attributes to succeed in life.
He said it included the right amount of determination, drive, perseverance, self-confidence, diligence, resilience and positive attitude that would keep them on the cutting edge of their respective fields and in the league of the best among their peers.
"This is part and parcel of the human capital development that is critically important to catapult a nation into the next stage of its growth and development," he said.
Najib said there was no better group than the First Ladies to take on the task of championing the children as they were looked up to as a maternal icon.
He said the Permata Negara early childhood care and education programme, for instance, was a perfect example of how the initiative of a leader's wife could gain support and momentum because of its merits.
"Begun with a group of professional women who sat with my wife and shared their views on what can best be done to benefit our younger generation, Permata now boasts some 500 centres around the country providing a fresh approach to early childhood education and care in rural and urban areas," he said.
Najib also said he hoped that apart from sharing views and exchanging ideas at the summit, a joint effort could be taken among the countries leveraging on one another's strengths and capabilities.
He said that for too long extremists had been allowed to take centre stage and drown out the voice of the moderates, and that hence this should be changed.
"To me, the real battle that is upon us today is not a battle of religions or race but rather a battle between the extremists and the moderates," he said at the opening of the First Ladies Summit 2010 themed "A Child Today, A Leader Tomorrow", at the prime minister's official residence, Seri Perdana, here.
Also present were his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is the patron of the summit, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
Najib said special attention should also be given to the areas of informal education and the shaping of the world view among the children, besides their education and care as well as the challenges faced in ensuring that every child was given a fair chance in getting nutrition, affection and protection.
He said that even with focus placed on formal education, pedagogy, syllabus and physical well-being, a child's world view could still be affected by the things he doesn't learn from books or in the classroom.
"Sometimes a child models his behaviour on his observation of the things said and done by the parents. Even little utterances and jibes can have an enormous impact on how a child views the people and the world around him.
"This is the 'programming' that takes place, sometimes without us even being aware. We must look into these elements with some depth if we are to examine the best ways of creating moderate, sensible leaders of tomorrow, free from prejudice and bigotry," he said.
Najib said that in whatever fields and disciplines a leader was created by any nation, he must have the prerequisite attributes to succeed in life.
He said it included the right amount of determination, drive, perseverance, self-confidence, diligence, resilience and positive attitude that would keep them on the cutting edge of their respective fields and in the league of the best among their peers.
"This is part and parcel of the human capital development that is critically important to catapult a nation into the next stage of its growth and development," he said.
Najib said there was no better group than the First Ladies to take on the task of championing the children as they were looked up to as a maternal icon.
He said the Permata Negara early childhood care and education programme, for instance, was a perfect example of how the initiative of a leader's wife could gain support and momentum because of its merits.
"Begun with a group of professional women who sat with my wife and shared their views on what can best be done to benefit our younger generation, Permata now boasts some 500 centres around the country providing a fresh approach to early childhood education and care in rural and urban areas," he said.
Najib also said he hoped that apart from sharing views and exchanging ideas at the summit, a joint effort could be taken among the countries leveraging on one another's strengths and capabilities.
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