ID :
197841
Thu, 07/28/2011 - 11:42
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/197841
The shortlink copeid
TIME TO MOVE FROM TOLERANCE TO ACCEPTANCE, PM NAJIB TELLS MALAYSIANS
ALOR SETAR (Kedah, Malaysia), July 28 (Bernama) -- Najib Razak urged the
people today to "move from tolerance to acceptance" to bring closer together
Malaysia's multi-racial society.
The Prime Minister said: "In the practice of tolerance, there are still
dividing walls and feelings of our difference from one another."
In comparison, acceptance celebrates diversity and uses the strength of all,
regardless of race, he said at a meet-the-people session at the
Keat Hwa 1 High School near here which was celebrating its 100th anniversary.
"This is a strength for our nation. As in a football match, people from our
various communities help one another for the success of our team," Najib added.
"If one of us score an own goal, we will lose. This (solidarity) value is
important to us all, no matter the colour of our skin or how we look," said the
Prime Minister, who arrived here this morning for a one-day working visit to
Kedah.
Najib said the 1Malaysia concept was introduced to bolster unity and
integration of a nation of various races, religions and cultures.
Reflecting on Malaysian history, he said: "One decision made which reflects
our excellent and liberal attitude is to allow parents to choose the school and
medium for their children.
"It was a decision made by the founders of our nation (and effective) since
the achievement of Independence. The Alliance leaders at the time made the
decision. Leaders of the other parties opposed it."
It was because of this decision that national type Chinese and Tamil schools
existed to this day, Najib said.
"Let us not be history illiterate and let us not be ungrateful. This is the
history that we have inherited. If the Alliance leaders of the past had not made
this decision, there would be no Chinese schools in the country today," he
added.
Najib said that people claiming to be champions of democracy should not be
blind to history and what continued to be practised to this day.
"We want to improve our democratic system but not by denying that democracy
has long been practised in the country," he added.
-- BERNAMA
people today to "move from tolerance to acceptance" to bring closer together
Malaysia's multi-racial society.
The Prime Minister said: "In the practice of tolerance, there are still
dividing walls and feelings of our difference from one another."
In comparison, acceptance celebrates diversity and uses the strength of all,
regardless of race, he said at a meet-the-people session at the
Keat Hwa 1 High School near here which was celebrating its 100th anniversary.
"This is a strength for our nation. As in a football match, people from our
various communities help one another for the success of our team," Najib added.
"If one of us score an own goal, we will lose. This (solidarity) value is
important to us all, no matter the colour of our skin or how we look," said the
Prime Minister, who arrived here this morning for a one-day working visit to
Kedah.
Najib said the 1Malaysia concept was introduced to bolster unity and
integration of a nation of various races, religions and cultures.
Reflecting on Malaysian history, he said: "One decision made which reflects
our excellent and liberal attitude is to allow parents to choose the school and
medium for their children.
"It was a decision made by the founders of our nation (and effective) since
the achievement of Independence. The Alliance leaders at the time made the
decision. Leaders of the other parties opposed it."
It was because of this decision that national type Chinese and Tamil schools
existed to this day, Najib said.
"Let us not be history illiterate and let us not be ungrateful. This is the
history that we have inherited. If the Alliance leaders of the past had not made
this decision, there would be no Chinese schools in the country today," he
added.
Najib said that people claiming to be champions of democracy should not be
blind to history and what continued to be practised to this day.
"We want to improve our democratic system but not by denying that democracy
has long been practised in the country," he added.
-- BERNAMA
