The Federal Constitution is a key document towards nation building and attaining national unity, said the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah today.

"The Federal Constitution, the Rukun Negara and Vision 2020 encapsulate the rights, hopes and aspirations of the population in a way that no other document does.

"The integrity of these documents must be defended and promoted, especially the first," Raja Nazrin said as part of his seven guidelines for nation building.

He said this during his keynote address at the Young Malaysians' Roundtable Discussion on National Unity and Development in Malaysia jointly organised by the Bar Council and Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) in Kuala Lumpur.

Raja Nazrin said all Malaysians must have no doubts about their place in the country in order improve nation building efforts.

"Only when each citizen believes that he or she has a common home and is working towards a common destiny, will he or she make the sacrifices needed for the long haul,"he added.

'Chauvinists against unity'

His second guideline required Malaysians to not hide problems in nation building pursuits. He said stark differences within a society are bound to arise, giving rise to 'chauvinistic' groups.

"They will fight the idea of national unity, block social change and try to be politically dominant," he said, also suggesting the creation of social movements to dissuade support for such groups.

After the keynote address, Raza Nazrin witnessed a discussion among panelists and a dozen participants of a roundtable discussion on the impact and implications of race-based politics on nation building.

The focus of the one-day roundtable was to provide a forum for young Malaysians and government representatives to engage on the role of young Malaysians in achieving national unity, and with it, subjects often deemed 'sensitive'.

The discussion was divided into three sessions, covering race-based politics, education and forging a national identity in relations to nation building.