LETTER | Sarawak is known as the land of unity for all Sarawakians live together as one united and collective multiracial society. As Sarawak is still part of the Malaysian Federation, its unity and togetherness in diversity cannot afford being tarnished by what has had transpired across the South China Sea.
The development of events in the Federation of Malaya is regretful as each of us is a true-blue Malaysian who pledges our his and her future, commitment and loyalty to Malaysia.
We ought to treat each Malaysian as our father, mother, brother or sister. That must be the core value for us in this “New Malaysia” as it taught us to treat everyone equally with all-encompassing tolerance, without differentiation and prejudice, to put the people’s interests above our self-interests as if we are of the same family, ethnicity and identity.
The 18-point Agreement which contains conditions laid out by Sarawak before it agreed to form Malaysia with the Federation of Malaya is a reminder that it is an equal partner with the Federation of Malaya.
The feelings of Sarawakians should not be overlooked as Sarawak has no kingship, no official religion and Dayaks and Christians are the majority in Malaysian Borneo. In Sarawak, all people be they Christians, Muslims or Buddhists often sit together in coffee shops to enjoy their food. They come together and leave together as Sarawakians and Malaysians.
In this moment, even if the federal government has recently abandoned its plan to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd), the Sarawak government should publicly support the ratification of Icerd with a clear statement to this effect.
Public lectures and dialogues should be organised across Malaysia by the Sarawak government so that the public, especially the younger generation, will be aware of and look up to Sarawak’s success in multiculturalism.
Sarawak’s food and cultural festivals such as the Gawai Dayak festival should also be held every year in the Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to display Sarawak’s unique model of harmony in the region of Southeast Asia and to promote cultural heritage and diversity while promoting tourism.
Now is the time for us to create new shared values in the “New Malaysia” that are based on the appreciation of Malaysia’s unique cultural heritage, equality, tolerance and human dignity and inculcate those values through education in schools.
All members of the government and every parliamentarian shoulders this great duty and responsibility to come up with the necessary initiatives to push for new shared values for a greater “New Malaysia” and all of us should support and be part of this change.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
Unrestrained power in your hands
For almost 20 years, Malaysiakini has stayed true to the cause of providing the Malaysian public with the truth. We believe that with unadulterated information, the people will obtain power to make informed decisions.
Decisions which lead to a healthy, robust nation - ours!
Keep the truth alive. Support your robust, independent media. You have the unrestrained power to do so.
In news we trust
A media which is sustained by the backing and support of its people is ensured its independence. The prolonged fight for justice with the support of the public has made it possible for Malaysiakini to continue its operations for over 20 years.
Who says it's not our fault?
We aren’t trained to take responsibility.
Everytime we observe an injustice - and choose to keep mum - the prevalence of injustice becomes our fault.
Astute journalism paves the way for the public to be continuously furnished with the fastidious truth. You are continuously empowered to act and to uphold the integrity of the nation.
Your say is the most crucial say!
THE MOST COURAGEOUS ACT STILL IS TO THINK FOR YOURSELF. Aloud.
HAVE A SAY ON MALAYSIAKINI’S YOURSAY.
The Rakyat owns Malaysiakini
We choose to take a risk on independent media because we believe that only through independent reporting can one be NOT beholden to the interest of businesses or organisations. This allows us to really pursue the truth - aggressively.
Malaysiakini.
Independent for 20 years.
You know when it gets real
Listen to your gut.
You know when it gets real.
Truth really matters.
Malaysiakini.
Going beyond expectations.
The victorious people
In the light of holding the truth to power, Malaysiakini will continue to uphold its mission of providing credible news to its discerning public. Your support for Malaysiakini is always treasured as a testament of innate nationalism. Your victory is our history.
Quietly. Effectively. Says it all. Malaysiakini.
Speaking truth to power
When we embarked on this journey 20 years ago, we knew we would face intimidation, harassment, raids, arrests and perhaps even jail terms. We got into this venture with our eyes wide open.
The main reason we have survived this long - when many others have folded - is partly because we are prudent in our finances. But while we may be tightfisted in our budgeting, we do not hold back when it comes to speaking truth to power and holding power to account. And certainly, this new administration will not stop us from continuing to do so.
Serving humanity
As servants of this nation, we at Malaysiakini applaud the continuous engagement of the public in affairs of the state.
You make Malaysiakini what it is.
You make Malaysia what it is.
The future is moving in
Stay curious. Stay with Malaysiakini. Our energy is to meet your demands. As the future moves in, let us help you be in time for it.
We hear you.
The comment section is an integral part of Malaysiakini. We are commited to improve our website based on your feedback. This is why we have upgraded our comment section to include the following new features that you have been asking for.
We hope you will enjoy our new changes. Don’t hesitate to email us your feedback at [email protected].
Your subscription expires on
Your subscription will expire soon, kindly renew before
Your subscription is expired
Click here to renew
You are not subscribed to any subscription package
Click here to subscribe now
Any questions?
Email: [email protected]
Call: +603-777-00000
Why does the comments section look different?