KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — State leaders have urged Malaysians to appreciate the country’s independence and sovereignty in maintaining unity as mentioned in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s National Day 2023 address.
Anwar, in delivering the address today, emphasised, among others, the importance of unity in defending the country’s independence to ensure Malaysia emerged as a great nation.
The Prime Minister said one of the conditions needed to meet those aspirations was ‘to free the people’ by shaping a society that is ‘independent’ in mind and soul and free from colonialist and outmoded thinking.
In Negeri Sembilan, Deputy State Secretary Datuk Muhamad Nahar Mohd Sidek said the Prime Minister’s address also reminded us that the colonisation did not only happen physically but also affected the mind.
“So, the mind also needs to be independent so that we will be more aware of the true meaning of the independence that we have achieved,” he said.
The state’s civil servants watched the address, delivered by the Prime Minister in conjunction with the National Day 2023 celebration, live via streaming at Dewan Theatrette, Wisma Negeri, Seremban.
Muhammad Nahar said the Prime Minister also emphasised that the education sector played an important role in defending the country’s independence and that the people could understand the values of democracy, human rights and their responsibilities as citizens.
In Pahang, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the Prime Minister’s clear message for the people to be independent in the true sense should be embraced by all to enable Malaysia to move in its own mould without being influenced by any party.
Wan Rosdy, who joined about 800 people to watch the live telecast of the Prime Minister’s address at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Broadcasting Complex in Kuantan, added that the aspect of racial harmony also needed to be strengthened.
“Racial harmony is the core of unity and we must realise that Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country. So we must respect one another,” he said.
In Terengganu, the deputy director of the Communication Services and Community Development Branch of the state Information Department, Saharrudin Mohamed said civil servants must play an important role in realising the government’s goal to turn Malaysia into a great nation.
One of the crucial things that civil servants need to do is to implement changes according to the current digital era, which is more effective and efficient.
“We must continue to work hard to ensure that the country develops and we also need to increase the level of efficiency and competence so that the delivery of civil servant services is more efficient and effective,” he said.
In Perlis, about 300 Federal and state civil servants watched the live telecast of the Prime Minister’s address at the Perlis State Government Administrative Complex.
The chief assistant secretary of the Economic Planning Division of the Perlis State Secretary’s Office (SUK) Mohd Azraai Zain Tusimin, 41, said every Malaysian needs to ‘free their soul’ to help the government continue defending the country’s independence so that future generations will also get to enjoy this freedom.
— Bernama
