Politicians urged to practice Rukun Negara principles

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 -- The fifth principle of Rukun Negara, Courtesy and Morality, must always be practiced by politicians because they are the 'keys' to fostering appreciation for the national philosophy, thus maintaining unity among the community.

EMIR Research president and chief executive officer Datuk Dr Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff said that politicians need to set a good example as well as appreciate the Rukun Negara as a whole and thus become a ‘role model’ for Malaysians.

He said that the fifth principle in the Rukun Negara should serve as a guide for politicians in carrying out their duties without using political, religious and racial identities for their personal interests.

Citing the example of the situation at the current parliamentary session, he said that members of Parliament (MPs) should not behave rudely by using abusive words when debating because the conference was watched by all sections of society.

“Hence, when the people watch, they will follow, if we see the Prime Minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) never shouts and screams while debating, as well as the Opposition leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“They debate well with facts and statistics, so we need such leadership where the element of politeness is present,” he told Bernama after appearing as a guest on Bernama TV's 'The Nation' programme today.

His sentiment was shared by cultural activist and patron of Pusaka, Eddin Khoo, who said that in fostering appreciation towards the five principles of Rukun Negara, efforts should start in school.

Eddin, the eldest son of a historical figure, the late Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim, said that the Rukun Negara was not just to be memorised, but to be applied through teaching and learning activities in the classroom.

“In the classroom, the spirit should be widespread, not only through the programme but also via class discussions. In the past, we had civic education, but although at that time teaching was not very encouraging, it was actually an important subject,” he said.

Rukun Negara was introduced on Aug 31, 1970, in conjunction with the 13th anniversary of the country's independence following the May 13 incident in 1969 which weakened unity among the races in Malaysia.

The Rukun Negara 50th anniversary celebrations began on July 9 and will continue until Sept 16.

--BERNAMA