Formulate a special Rukun Negara Act - Academician

PUTRAJAYA, July 20 -- An academician today proposed for the formulation of a special law to uphold the principles of Rukun Negara so as to allow stern action to be taken against those who play up sensitive issues relating to 3R - royal, race and religion.

Director of the Centre for Media and Information Warfare Studies, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Associate Professor Datuk Dr Ismail Sualman said there have been many incidents in which those who played up sensitive issues in the country escaped legal action or only received light punishment because there is no specific law for offences against the Rukun Negara.

“Based on my research, this law, if formulated, will at least ensure that no one will dare to play up the 3R issues,” he told Bernama here, today.

Elaborating, Ismail said the Rukun Negara, which was drafted after the May 13, 1969 incident, is a philosophy similar to the social contract, which is not stated in the Federal Constitution, but the people are aware of its existence.

However, he said as time goes by, many Malaysians no longer appreciate the meaning of the Rukun Negara principles, and this was proven through his study in 2018 involving 2,850 teen respondents.

He said the study revealed that 70 per cent respondents were aware of the Rukun Negara but 60 per cent did not know the objective behind the national philosophy, and 68.8 per cent admitted that they did not understand the Rukun Negara principles.

Therefore, Ismail called on all quarters, beginning with government agencies, to initiate their effort to indoctrinate the Rukun Negara principles in the daily lives of the community.

He also called for a special Rukun Negara department, instead of placing the responsibility under the National Unity Ministry.

He added that the Rukun Negara education should be done in a proper and structured manner, beginning from kindergarten to workplace, besides compelling politicians to attend a special Rukun Negara course.

-- BERNAMA