Selangor Journal
Civil servants wave the Jalur Gemilang during the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Jalur Gemilang programme at the MBPJ Headquarters, Petaling Jaya, on August 19, 2022. — Picture by FIKRI YUSOF/SELANGORKINI

Unity still strong after 65 years

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Tomorrow is Malaysia’s National Day 2022.

For 65 years, its multiracial society has enjoyed the fruits of the nation’s independence, as well as a sense of well-being born out of the bond of unity nurtured for over six decades.

Maintaining this convivial atmosphere has certainly not been a walk in the park what with polemics pertaining to politics, religion and race threatening to wreck the fortress of unity from time to time.

No matter what, the multiracial spirit of the people has never failed to triumph over the challenges. The Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) spirit continues to sparkle and brings forth a meaningful National Day celebration for all Malaysians.

Unity being tested

Dr Suffian Mansor, chairman of the Centre for History, Politics and International Relations at the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said despite the pressing issues facing the nation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the people have generally been understanding and handling the situation in a mature manner.

“It was a testing situation for the people when the government was forced to impose the MCO (movement control order) to restrict their movements in order to stem the spread of Covid-19 and save lives.

“The implementation of this measure had a major impact on our nation’s economy as many places of work had to stop their operations and many people also lost their jobs,” he told Bernama.

He said the situation became worse when a political crisis emerged and, for the first time in its history, Malaysia witnessed three prime ministers taking office during a single term.

Other issues are also plaguing the nation, among them being the rising cost of food and hiccups in the food supply chain.

According to Suffian’s observations, the people appear to be focusing more on taking care of their needs and welfare than the things they regard as “unimportant”.

He feels that people from all walks of life should take a look at what the government is doing, as well as the policies it has implemented, to help them to cope with the current challenges.

“For example, when the price of chicken became an issue, the people, no matter which group they belonged to – T20, M40 or B40 – wanted an effective solution from the government. I think the people calmed down after (the government stepped in to) control the price of chicken,” he said.

He added that other initiatives have also been introduced by the government including monetary aid and subsidies to ease the financial burden of the people.

Rational, not emotional

Suffian also said that despite the challenges they were grappling with, Malaysians, with their multiethnic backgrounds, have chosen to safeguard their harmonious ties which is key to ensuring peace in the nation.

“This shows that we Malaysians prioritise the interests of the nation rather than our own,” he said, adding that this quality came to the fore when there was a change in the nation’s administration or when a policy that was not widely accepted was implemented.

“(When this happened) the people didn’t protest or hold demonstrations, which surely would have caused chaos. I believe that Malaysians are rational and not overly emotional. For them, harmony and unity are more important and must be preserved.”

The situation, he pointed out, differs in other countries where large-scale protests are the norm when the people are dissatisfied with their government policies and administration.

He, however, said that although the people have been coping with the prevailing challenges in a mature manner the government cannot afford to sit back, adding that continuous efforts must be made to instil the spirit of patriotism and love for the nation in Malaysians.

He added that programmes implemented by the government to celebrate National Day must be designed in such a way that they enable the people to better appreciate the meaning of independence.

Helping hand

Meanwhile, an expert in counselling psychology at Universiti Malaysia Perlis Prof Dr Huzili Hussin noted that the spirit of unity and togetherness still prevailed in Malaysian society.

The spirit is evident whenever there are requests for contributions to a worthy cause and people willingly extend a helping hand irrespective of race or religion.

“For example, when a flood occurs, individuals and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) will rush to the location to help the victims regardless of their race, background or even political ideology.

“Even during the MCO, various NGOs and other organisations have been providing food and daily essentials to needy families,” he said.

Huzili said although certain people are not known to express their patriotism through their speeches or actions, it does not mean they do not love the nation.

“If we were to look at countries like the United States, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Japan, the people there have their own culture of displaying their love for their nation.

“On the other hand in Malaysia, our people seem to have difficulty expressing their love for the nation… they don’t even fly the (national) flag. But it doesn’t mean that they don’t love (their country). If you were to ask them (whether they love their country), the answer will surely be ‘yes’,” he said.

On the theme for this year’s National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, “Keluarga Malaysia Teguh Bersama (Malaysian Family Strong Together)”, Huzili said it is a fitting theme as it reflects the togetherness enjoyed by the nation’s plural society.

It is also in line with the aspirations of Keluarga Malaysia as espoused by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, he added.

— Bernama

Top Picks

Free tolls on all highways for Aidilfitri on April 8, 9 — Minister

Anwar attends Iftar Madani, breaks fast with nearly 10,000 people

Malaysia committed to reforming economy, embracing innovation — DPM