GOVT SHOULD EXPLAIN MEANING OF NATIONAL PRINCIPLES

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- The government should explain the meaning of Rukun Negara or national principles to the public especially the younger generation.

Historian, Prof Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Kim Monday said this was because
certain groups who were keen on creating chaos would take advantage of the
people who were ignorant of the Constitution and the law.

He said these groups usually comprised people who did not really understand
the history of the country and its laws.

Khoo was commenting on the remarks by the Crown Prince of Perak on Sunday
that he would take on the primary responsibility of implementing all efforts to
ensure that the institution of royalty which was core to the system of
governance and nationhood in the country would continue to be protected.

"What Raja Dr Nazrin Shah was saying yesterday (Sunday) was that the country
is currently practising a mixed system of traditional customs and modern
legislation," Khoo told reporters after the launch of a book on Malaysian and
German folklore, here Monday.

Khoo said the confusion still persisted among Malaysians to the extent of
not understanding that the current Rulers differed from those in the old age as
the Rulers now reflected the stability of the country.

At the same time, he said as Constitutional Monarchs, the Rulers too had to
adhere to the laws.

So long as the schools in the country did not explain thoroughly to the
students about the Constitution and the laws, the country would continue to have
problems with the groups who would purposely create chaos.
-- BERNAMA