LATE TUN HUSSEIN ONN'S UNITY ASPIRATIONS, 1MALAYSIA SAME, SAYS MINISTER

BATU PAHAT (Malaysia), July 26 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak's 1 Malaysia concept is synonymous with the unity aspirations of the late Tun Hussein Onn, Malaysia's third prime minister who was given the title of "Father of Unity, said Information Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim.

He said Tun Hussein's stressing on racial unity contributed greatly to the
many achievements made by Malaysia and the progress the country had attained.

"Though he served only one term as prime minister, he made a deep and
lasting impact as to the wellbeing of the nation. Without Tun Hussein, Malaysia
might not be what it is today.

"If we were to analyse closely, the approach taken by Tun Hussein is not
different from that taken by Najib Tun Razak through his 1Malaysia
concept," Rais, who described himself as a disciple of Tun Hussein, said at a
memorial organised by the National Archives for the third prime minister at
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) here Sunday.

Also present were Tun Hussein's widow, Tun Suhailah Mohamed Noah
Omar, Rais' wife Masnah Rais, National Archivs director-general
Sidek Jamil and UTHM vice chancellor, Prof Dr Mohd Noh Dalimin.

Rais also said Tun Hussein, when he was prime minister, was a very firm
decision maker and placed emphasis on the rule of law.

Once Tun Hussein made a decision, Rais said, the prime minister never
changed it.

He revealed how his and his wife's appeal to Tun Hussein who wanted him to
be Negeri Sembilan chief minister, was not entertained by him (Tun Hussein).

Rais also had come up with his own matrix to describe Tun Hussein, which is
as follows;

H - harmony; U- unity; S-security; S-survival; E-efficiency and N-
Nationalism.

Rais added that similar programmes would be held to remember past leaders of
the nation irrespective of race or religion so as to further instill the
patriotic spirit among Malaysians, escpecially the younger generation.

-- BERNAMA