Information Minister Rais Yatim said Bersih 3.0 participants should emulate the values expounded in the ministry’s newly-launched 1Malaysia moral guide.

NONE “To our friends who on April 28, at Dataran Merdeka and in front of the Information, Communication, and Culture Ministry (office), who had rioted, been rough and violent, give them a copy of this book,” he said, apparently in jest to some 400 civil servants, and students who came to witness the launch today.

He said that violence is not part of the Malaysian culture and pointed out that the nation’s independence was won through negotiation, not force.

NONE “To the person who said, ‘Charge!’... or to a person who at the time said, ‘Take the field,’ we want to say, ‘Not just the field, not just Putrajaya'.

“We do not object, you can even take the country, but you must follow the principle of a parliamentary democracy,” he said to thunderous applause.

Rais was launching the book ' Penyerlahan Amalan Nilai-Nilai Murni 1Malaysia ' ( Highlighting 1Malaysia's Good Values ) at the Craft Complex, Jalan Conlay.

NONE The book published by the ministry’s Special Affairs Department has about 70 full-colour pages, describing 21 moral values such as patience, discipline, respect, meritocracy, cleanliness, integrity, humility, courtesy, and loyalty.

Each value is accompanied by a poem, a proverb, a short description, several photographs with speech bubbles added, and a quote from personalities from both at home and abroad, such as Malaysia’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and former American president Abraham Lincoln.

“We have always had these values, but lately our society is starting to have questionable behaviours,” he told a press conference later.

'Flesh and blood' of civilisation

In his speech, he also said a pocket-sized edition would also be published for quick reference by readers, and described moral values as the “flesh and blood” of civilisation.

NONE After the launch, 11 awards were given out to individuals and groups for displaying these values, including TV Al-Hijrah videographer Mohd Azri Mohd Salleh who was allegedly beaten by protesters at the Bersih 3.0 rally, and the late BernamaTV videographer Noramfaizul Mohd Nor who was killed-in-action while covering a humanitarian mission in Somalia.

“He displayed great courage and patience for being willing to take the risk to defend a police officer when attacked by street rioters at the dirty Bersih 3.0 rally last April. He was hospitalised as a result of beatings by the rioters,” said the emcee of Mohd Azri.

NONE The station’s corporate communications manager Norisah Sulaiman received the award on his behalf.

The award includes RM3,000 for individuals, and RM5,000 for groups.

Copies of the book were also given out to several schools, government agencies, and law enforcement bodies during the ceremony.

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