DON'T LET RACIAL ISSUES DESTROY WHAT HAS BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY BUILT - M'SIAN PM NAJIB

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak said the
society should not allow the Malaysian way of life, which is based upon
diversity and moderation, to be undermined by extreme attitudes which manifest
themselves through racial and religious issues.

"Everything which we have achieved, everything which we have built, and
things which are dear to us, will be destroyed.

"We should, therefore, value the prevailing peace, harmony and stability in
the country," he said in his message in conjunction with the 53rd National Day
Tuesday.

He also said that the time had come for the current generation to take the
lead to propel the country to greater heights.

Saying that the real challenge for Malaysians today was to transform the
country to become a developed and high-income nation by the year 2020, Najib
said, the government had put in place strong foundations in the form of the
Government Transformation Plan and Economic Transformation Plan to achieve the
objective.

Najib said the success achieved in transforming Malaysia from that of a
low-income and agricultural-based country into a medium-income industrialised
country was due to the commitment, planning and diligence of the government,
along with the people, in holding fast to the philosophy of being constantly
ahead of the curve of transformation and changes.

"Refusing to be contented with the status quo, and out of sheer
determination, our forefathers took Malaysia from one success to another.

"Today, it is our turn to lead Malaysia to greater heights of progress and
prosperity. The question is, are we courageous enough to break away from
tradition and achieve the extraordinary?" said the prime minister.

Looking back into the struggle of the country's past leaders, Najib said the
nation's forefathers had never felt satisfied with what the country had at that
time and had striven hard to overcome no matter how big the challenges were.

"They constantly seek and work to create a better future for the country and
its people," he said.

The prime minister also said that each Malaysian citizen was crucial to the
country's development and that he or she had the capability to contribute
towards the nation's prosperity and well-being.

The time had also come for the country to fully utilise local talents, he
said.

"It will be a huge loss to the country if the talents, whom we have
painstakingly nurtured, migrate in search of a greener pasture just because of
our failure to provide the conducive environment for them to contribute," he
said.

He added that globalisation not only allowed for easy flow of capital and
technology across the borders but also the flow of human capital.

Najib said that to create a better future, Malaysia should safeguard
national unity, saying it had been the country's pillar of peace and stability.

It was for this reason, he said, that the basis of integration among the
Malaysian people should be built upon shared values as spelled out in the
national ideology or Rukun Negara and enshrined in the constitution.

Najib also said that the government was truly committed to defending the
country's independence and sovereignty within the framework of legal instruments
and based on its own strength to face threats either from within or outside the
country.

"Please remember that Malaysia is our homeland; this is the place where we
were born, the place where we grow up, where we find our livelihood, a place
where we find happiness and where we shall be laid to rest," he said.

In conjunction with the National Day, he called on Malaysians to renew their
commitment and strengthen their resolve to make Malaysia the best country.

"For the sake of our children's future, we must defend the survival of our
country. Let us not break what is intact," he said.
-- BERNAMA


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