1MALAYSIA FOUNDATION TO REALISE 1MALAYSIA CONCEPT

KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 (Bernama) -- In a bid to promote the 1Malaysia concept
mooted by the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, eight renowned personalities combined
their efforts in setting up the 1Malaysia Foundation (Y1M) launched Tuesday.

Chairman of the Y1M Board of Trustee Dr Chandra Muzaffar said the non-profit
foundation was set up to complement the government's and private sectors'
initiatives to develop and promote national unity programmes.

"Y1M is planning to expand and strengthen the commitment from all Malaysians
towards national unity through various activities to increase public awareness
and community development," he told a press conference after the launch of the
foundation at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) here
Tuesday.

The other personalities are Lee Lam Thye, Dr Jemilah Mahmud, Prof Emeritus
KJ Ratnam, Dr Ismail Ibrahim, Idris Jala, Tony Fernandes and Dr Mahani Zainal
Abidin.

Dr Chandra said Y1M would act as a communication channel between the people
and the government.

For a start, he said the foundation would organise a 'Kisah 1Malaysia Ku'
(My 1Malaysia Story) programme to enable the people to express their views on
1Malaysia through short stories and video clips.

Entries could be submitted online via the foundation's website at
www.1malaysia.org.my beginning August, he said.

Earlier, Dr Chandra announced the appointment of Noorhaina Hirawani Mohd
Noor as Y1M's first Chief Executive Officer.
-- BERNAMA