Prime Minister Najib Razak has urged Chinese organisations to play a greater role in creating awareness among the people on the importance of continuity in choosing the government.

"The people of America re-elected President Obama because they believed that continuity was more important than uncertainty...,” he said when opening the 29th Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival at Sekolah Menengah Pay Fong in Malacca yesterday.

NONE "And I believe Malaysians also know that if we want to see Malaysia emerge as a developed nation in seven years’ time, it is very important that the existing government be given enough time to show that it can bring about massive change for the nation."

Najib said the government always held the belief that Chinese NGOs in the country were not organisations that would support extremist leanings.

He said the various Chinese NGOs, which were set up either based on clan names, districts, dialects or guilds, actually rejected such leanings and instead practised moderation.

He said the government's confidence stemmed from their belief in the teachings of Confucius, one of which that has been held dearly by the community since 30,000 years ago was moderation or ‘Zhong Yong’.

This had influenced the life and the thinking of the Chinese in the country, he said.

"Moderation means we reject any form of extremism and take cognisance that Chinese organisations are not extremist in nature but make moderation a core philosophy.

"No matter the basis of the NGO, what is important is that we all believe that we can play a role in determining the efforts that can be taken to transform Malaysia to be a high income and successful nation," he said.

Help gov’t to transform nation

Also present was Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam. Najib said behind the numerous assumptions, he believed Chinese organisations or NGOs could play a major role in helping the government in transforming the country.

The prime minister said the inclusive policies and social equality embedded in the government administration would allow the people to maximise their capabilities and help in realising the government's development agenda that was just and equitable for all.

On Chinese culture, Najib said the government had always recognised and protected the Chinese's traditions and this included declaring the 24-Drum celebration, Kuni Deity procession, High Pole Lion Dance and Penang Char Kue Tiaw as national heritages.

He said the founding forefathers of the country in their wisdom had seen that the unity in diversity of Malaysians was something special and unique and a boon for Malaysia's progress.

"We took the path of integration and not assimilation and that is why we can see how our diversity has been a unique feature of our nation whereby each community is able to retain its culture while at the same time contributing to the nation's progress," he said.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Ali thanked the prime minister and the federal government for contributing RM330,000 towards making the festival a success.

The festival is an annual event that has been rotated among the states since 1991. Its is one of the main events in the yearly calendar of Hua Zong, an organising comprising 13 Chinese Assembly halls in Malaysia.

- Bernama