This is sensible. I'll leave you to your conclusions about the reply.
This, the Merdeka Statement, was probably in the national news back home, but I have Ps Sivin to thank for making me aware of it, and the responses to it.
In short, the Merdeka Statement is "a new national agenda", formed from looks backwards and forwards, looking to steer Malaysian development into 2020 and beyond. It was developed by a total of 42 Malaysian NGOs, which included All Women’s Action Society, Council of Churches Malaysia, Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations, Malaysia Hindu Sangam, Malaysian Bar, Malaysian Buddhist Assocation, Malaysian Confederation of the Disabled, Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism, National Evangelical Christian Fellowship, Sisters In Islam (who did not necessarily agree with all statements within the statement), United Voice, and Yayasan Kajian dan Pembangunan Masyarakat, among other similar organisations. [Are these organisations part of "elite group which cannot be considered as representing the people and are not a group representing the feelings of the people below and they are removed from the heart and pulse of the people"?]
This statement covers 8 main topics for consideration:
- Strengthen national unity.
- Enhance international competitiveness.
- Create an innovation economy.
- Redress imbalances.
- Reinforce the institutions of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.
- Reform education.
- Ensure quality of life.
- Improve governance, fight corruption.
This all sounds pretty familiar - things that have been discussed and acted upon again and again! Yet they are still issues that still have bearing in our country.
I think it's good to review our country's aims and update them in today's language and circumstances, and all the points in the full statement seem very Malaysian and pertinent indeed. Hopefully, if the government doesn't care to take notice of this statement, each of the 42 NGOs will play some part in creating awareness of these aims in the community level.
And perhaps the statement should be in Bahasa Malaysia too? It only seems right, with BM being the national language. And while I was reading the Rukun Negara, I couldn't help think that the original BM version was so much more stately and dignified than the English translation. Makes me proud to be a Malaysian. :)
Happy (early) Birthday, Malaysia.
5 comments:
I recalled reading this off the back cover of my exercise book last time....
Belief in God,
Royalty to King and country,
Upholding Constitution,
Rule of Law,
Good behaviour and morality.
Right?
yeah, i remember those exercise books, brown and musty-smelling. but i've never remembered the rukun negara.
doesn't it sound better in BM?
Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan
Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara
Keluhuran Perlembagaan
Kedaulatan Undang-Undang
Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan
:)
it's mostly discussion.. not much action if you ask me
i guess the action needs to be taken on the individual level no? with the government discounting the importance of this statement, nothing much can be done on the national level.
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