Najib: Do not see each other through race and religion

The Prime Minister stressed that national unity will emerge once Malaysians stop seeing each others through the lens of race or religion.

KUALA LUMPUR: The peak of nation-building can be attained if the people do not see one another through the lens of race or religion, said Najib Tun Razak.

The prime minister said he realised that this was a major challenge because Malaysia was too complex, but he added that this did not stand in the way of achieving national unity.

“Eventually, national unity will emerge from our own minds. If we do not see each other through the lens of race or religion, then we can attain the peak of nation-building,” he said.

Najib spoke at the handing over of the letters of appointment to 29 members of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), here, today.

Also present at the event was the Chief Secretary to the Government, Dr Ali Hamsa, and NUCC Chairman Samsudin Osman.

The letters of appointment were handed over to Samsudin, NUCC deputy chairman Lee Lam Thye and the other members of the NUCC.

The NUCC members are drawn from among community leaders, academicians, intellectuals, representatives of non-governmental organisations and Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition politicians.

Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Kurup, Jamil Khir Baharom and Shahidan Kassim also attended the event.

Najib outlined seven guidelines to achieve national unity that encompassed the government’s commitment to ensuring peace and harmony in the country.

“I’m not interested in winning legal arguments but I’m interested in ensuring peace and harmony in Malaysia. There’s no substitute for peace and harmony,” he emphasised.

Najib said the guidelines stated that all decisions must be based on the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara (National Ideology) and be guided by the 1Malaysia concept which, among others, encompassed the principle of upholding social justice.

The objective took into account the new economic model in the context of ensuring that the nation’s wealth was shared in an inclusive, fair and just manner.

Najib said the NUCC was set up at the right time because Malaysia had to look forward in its journey as a nation, especially with the realisation that the nation-building process would take a long time.

“We have a choice. We can allow circumstances to dictate or attempt to change the course of the nation through positive intervention so that national integration and national unity progress on a more secure platform,” he said.

He said the government established the NUCC for the country to have a more structured mechanism that comprised those keen to contribute to nation-building.

“They (the NUCC members) are experts in their own disciplines, objective, and not populist. They are really sincere and committed to fostering national unity and harmony.

“This is the rationale for our setting up this council. Nation-building not only takes time but also cannot be taken for granted,” he said.
At a news conference afterwards, the prime minister said the NUCC was expected to prepare an interim report for the government within the next six months.

“This is the time frame we have given. If there are developments, they will report to the government. If they need more time, they will also refer to the government,” he said.

He said the report would focus on nation-building efforts as the government wanted to take a long-term perspective of the country’s future and what it would take to further strengthen national unity and harmony.

On the NUCC members, Najib said they comprised individuals with objective views although some of them were from the political opposition.

“If they are open-minded and do not use this (council) as a political platform, we welcome their participation,” he said.

- Bernama