Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, KUALA LUMPUR
Tarikh/Date : 31/01/92
Tajuk/Title : THE "A UNITED MALAYSIAN NATION BY
THE YEAR 2020" DINNER
Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji
President Harvard Club;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
After-dinner speeches are supposed to be light and not
too taxing on the mind. Perhaps this is because after a
heavy dinner and posible indigestion we should be spared of
mental indigestion as well.
2. National unity is not a suitable post-prandial subject.
But then it is your President who chose this subject. I
have no say in the matter. If you get indigestion both
gastronomically and cerebrally, you should know whom to
blame.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
3. For the next three decades the nation's energies will
be concentrated on trying to realise Vision 2020. That Vi-
sion identifies nine central challenges that would have to
be successfully addressed if we are to become a fully devel-
oped nation by the year 2020. The one identified as likely
to be "the most fundamental, the most basic" challenge, is
the challenge of establishing a united Malaysian nation.
4. By the year 2020 we would have had about two gener-
ations of independent Malaysians. Will we be a united
"Bangsa Malaysia" or "Malaysian Nation" by then? Perhaps
one way of addressing this question is to identify what are
some of the fundamental prerequisites for successfully forg-
ing a united nation in a setting like Malaysia, and then ex-
amining where we stand with regard to these fundamental
elements.
5. The elements required for building united nations dif-
fer from country to country. Switzerland, India, the United
States, Northern Ireland, Fiji, Lebanon, all require formu-
lae suited to their environments, which are conditioned
largely by their historical, political, legal, social, cul-
tural and economic development.
6. Some nations evolve naturally through ethnicity and a
common culture. Others, and this includes Malaysia, are le-
gally constituted nations. There is no common inherited
ethnicity or culture. There is no naturally common lan-
guage. Even the geographical boundaries did not evolve.
They are delineated by common consent through a process of
negotiations. In the Peninsular the common factor is pro-
vided by the recognition of the federation of the Malay
states as the basis for the nation. But by the time of in-
dependence these states had already been changed through
linkages instituted by the British. Additionally the popu-
lation had changed so that a common ethnic origin cannot be
the basis of national unity. The presence of citizens of
differing ethnic and cultural origins requires the formu-
lation of a new basis for national unity. Fortunately for
Malaysia the founding fathers were able to read broad agree-
ment on the basis for this unity. This socio-political con-
tract bound together the citizens of Malaya and with minor
modifications has been accepted by the peoples of Sabah and
Sarawak when Malaysia was formed.
7. The acceptance is real and sincere. We have gone
through many trials and tribulations. In 1969 we were se-
verely tested. But we came through intact. Indeed we
learnt how to curb our feelings and to manage ourselves bet-
ter. We see quite a few countries around the world today
which fail to curb ethnic loyalties and are suffering from
intractable and violent conflicts which benefit no one.
Presently many countries are fragmenting into small, weak
entities which will probably remain antagonistic to one an-
other even after each gains freedom from the centre. But we
have had this consensus ever since independence and the for-
mation of Malaysia. We have enshrined it in the Federal
Constitution, and later in the Rukunegara. Together they
define the political character of the nation, the political
and social position of the various communities, the strate-
gic goals of the nation, and the principles or common values
which Malaysians will adhere to in the pursuit of these
goals.
8. This consensus was not reached without challenge; nei-
ther has it survived without strain. There were the commu-
nists, and there were and still are the extremists. For one
brief period we even had to suspend parliament to save the
country. In other words we had to be undemocratic in order
to save our democracy. And because we acted promptly and
decisively we were able to return to the original concensus
which has since proven to be an admirably viable and compre-
hensive proposition.
9. I am confident that this basic social contract by which
we have lived so successfully in the last thirty plus years
will continue to serve us well in the next three decades.
10. But building a nation out of a diverse people with dif-
fering historical, ethnic, linguistic, religious, cultural
and geographical backgrounds is something more than just
fostering consensus on the basic character of a state or na-
tion. It involves the fostering of shared historical expe-
riences; shared values; a feeling of common identity and
shared destiny that transcends ethnic bounds without under-
mining ethnic identity; loyalty, commitment and an emotional
attachment to the nation; and the flowering of distinctly
national ethos. The emergence of all these factors in turn
involves other prerequisites.
11. One of these is simply time. We cannot have a shared
historical experience or develop all the other attributes
unless we give ourselves time. There are countries in the
world today which have existed for many decades and even
centuries more than Malaysia which have yet to sort out
their national unity problems. We must note too that they
started out with much less complicated and variegated prob-
lems than Malaysia. Indeed, nation-building is an extended
process, and all we have had is approximately thirty years
in our present national configuration.
Ladies and gentlemen,
12. By the year 2020, we would have had another thirty
years behind us. After six decades, if we manage our
nation-building process conscientiously and well and suffer
no major setbacks, we would have traversed twice the dis-
tance we have covered so far. We would have had sixty years
of shared historical experience, of fashioning shared desti-
nies, of cultivating common values and perceptions, of bond-
ing the people with a common language, and of evolving
without duress a uniquely Malaysian culture, identity and
ethos which is organic to the Malaysian environment and
which distinguishes us from other nations and other peoples.
If we are still not a mature nation by then, we would at
least be well on the path to healthy nationhood.
13. But all this only if we manage our nation-building
process well. This will entail honouring our respective ob-
ligations and responsibilities under the Constitution,
whether it relates to politics, citizenship, socio-economic
opportunities, language, religion or the respective powers
of the centre and the state. This was the solemn pledge
that we all made when we worked out our consensus. This
pledge we must continue to fulfill, sincerely and fully.
14. Managing our nation-building well will also entail that
we redress the socio-economic imbalances among the various
ethnic groups and the various regions in the country. Grow
we no doubt must. If we do not grow we will not have the
resources to redress anything. But redress we must too. If
we do not redress we will self-destruct, which will reduce
to naught all our growth.
15. It is for this reason that Malaysia needs a policy of
sustainable growth with equity in order to build a sound and
resilient base for national unity. We have already come a
significant way towards redressing imbalances in the last
thirty years. Hopefully by the year 2020 we would have
overcome the problem altogether.
16. If we are indeed able to achieve this without unduly
sacrificing growth and without undermining the legitimate
rights of everyone, I would say we would have overcome the
greatest single obstacle to national unity in this country.
This task belongs not just to the Government. The private
sector has an important part to play too, especially as Gov-
ernment progressively privatises its operations and deregu-
lates. The private sector should get together to consider
how it can further enhance its role in this field. In fact
it is in the private sector's own interests that it contrib-
utes more substantively in this field, as national unity and
ethnic harmony are the prerequisites of political stability
so vital for good business.
17. As for the Bumiputera, it is evident that they are suc-
cessfully engaged in many modern and skilled sectors of the
economy. But they too need to do more in order to partic-
ipate fully in the more dynamic and lucrative sectors of the
economy. As Malaysia continues to industrialise and
urbanise and we progress towards a fully developed society,
the urgency and importance of modifying our traditional
psycho-cultural values and attitudes will grow. Only when
we change will we be competitive. Only when we change will
our progress and advancement be sustainable and self-
reliant. We can change and adapt without discarding all
that is good that we inherited; these we must keep and these
we must cherish. The Bumiputeras must appreciate this. And
they must change. They will not lose their identity but
their capacity will be enhanced.
Ladies and gentlemen,
18. To manage our nation-building process well we will also
need peace and stability. We need peace and stability to
pursue and achieve our strategic goal of becoming a united
nation without hindrance. We need peace and stability to
bility to grow and to prosper, to achieve socio-economic eq-
uity and justice, to foster and to nurture common values,
and to reinforce consensus and strengthen the spirit of mod-
eration, tolerance and mutual respect.
19. While we have had relative peace and stability in the
last thirty years, it was marred by the communist
insurgency, 'konfrantasi' and the May 13 incident. Yet we
were able to make tangible progress. Our political stabil-
ity and economic growth have been the envy and aspirational
model for many countries around the world. Imagine what we
can achieve in the next thirty years if our peace and sta-
bility were more complete. We must reject the forces of
extremism and intolerance, of disorder and disruption.
Ladies and gentlemen,
20. Ethnic and religious passions are particularly easy to
inflame. Once aroused, they are difficult to subdue. If we
turn the pages of history they are replete with conflicts
and wars conducted in the name of race and religion. If we
cast around us today we will see many nations, some of them
tranquil for many decades, now torn by ethnic turmoil and
religious dissent. They sometimes cause untold suffering
and unmitigated destruction. Even when peace is restored,
they have already left indelible scars and set the nations
back many years.
21. We do not want this in Malaysia. In the past we have
had our share of ethnic and religious conflicts. Once, we
came close to catastrophe. If we can help it, we do not
want to walk through these dark passages again. Hence our
limits on certain activities. Issues considered to be espe-
cially sensitive and inflammatory are removed from the arena
of public debate and controversy. Even if this is perceived
as infringements on human rights particularly by some for-
eign quarters, we apologise to nobody. We can be sure that
they will not be around to carry the burden when the nation
is crippled by violence, or to pick up the pieces when it
implodes. The limits that we impose on our rights and lib-
erties we do by due process of law and democracy, and we
have a healthy and stable working democracy as well as a
deep respect for the rule of law.
22. To foster a united nation we also introduced various
policies and programmes in the last thirty years besides the
New Economic Policy and the National Development Policy.
They include the National Education Policy, the National
Language Policy and the National Culture Policy. National
unity is also an important objective in policies and
programmes involving such matters as sports and housing.
Together these policies and programmes contribute towards
healthy social contacts among the various communities,
shared values and perceptions, and the emergence of a common
Malaysian identity and culture while preserving our respec-
tive ethnic heritage.
23. I am confident that in the next thirty years we will
build upon these policies and their implementation. They
cannot be without imperfections. We must correct them as we
go along, as we have done in the past. Where they do not
produce the desired results we must review them. We must be
prepared to innovate and to experiment, and to adapt to
changing circumstances and requirements.
Ladies and gentlemen,
24. Besides the fostering of a united 'Bangsa Malaysia' or
'Malaysian Nationality', we have identified eight other cen-
tral challenges to be overcome by the year 2020. Our objec-
tive of a united nation must be pursued simultaneously with
these other objectives. In fact the achievements of all
nine objectives are mutually dependent and mutually rein-
forcing.
25. The task before us is indeed an enormous one. To engi-
neer social change on such a scale and over such diverse
fields requires much creativity, consumate planning and
careful coordination.
26. The enormity of the task however, should not deter us.
In seeking to achieve our goals we must build upon our
strengths. Among the strengths which we must build upon is
our capacity to promote growth - we are acknowledged as one
of the most dynamic economies of the world - our ability to
accommodate and achieve consensus in the larger interest,
our tolerance, our love for peace and stability, and our
democratic way of life. These strengths, nurtured well,
will stand us in good stead in meeting the challenges ahead.
Ladies and gentlemen,
27. Finally, it will be the rakyat themselves who will de-
termine whether or not Malaysia becomes a united nation by
the year 2020. In democracies the people exercise direct
control and influence over the kind of policies and
programmes adopted. An elected government can only move in
the direction that the people want it to, and it can only
move as fast as the people permit it to.
28. Here we are fortunate. The people of Malaysia, irre-
spective of their racial origins possess the values, atti-
tudes and behaviour which have helped the country achieve
the level of unity and nationhood that it has attained to-
day. We do have our extremists, but by and large Malaysians
are attached to the country, peace-loving, pragmatic,
accomodating and respectful of each other's legitimate
rights. They also cherish freedom, stability and social
justice.
29. All these qualities we must nourish and strengthen in
our home, in our schools, in the workplace and in the soci-
ety as a whole in order to consolidate the foundation for a
united and resilient nation in the next three decades. The
primary focus here will have to be on the present generation
and the next, for it is they who will manage and inherit the
Malaysia of the year 2020. In their hands and with the
blessings of the Almighty we entrust the destiny of this na-
tion.
30. With these food for thoughts, I wish you all a pleasant
evening.
|
|