Political Maturity, Wisdom Needed To Strengthen Unity - Anwar
KOTA KINABALU, June 13 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that Malaysia needs political maturity, rationality and wisdom to defend and strengthen the spirit of nationhood built on the values of unity.
He said the diversity, which is the foundation of the nation’s formation, must continue to be preserved through a spirit of mutual respect, while rejecting any elements that could divide society.
“That is why our challenge in the states of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, with different ethnic groups and different skin colours, we need maturity, rationality and wisdom in politics to defend and strengthen this spirit of nationhood,” he said.
He said this when officiating the national-level National Unity Week 2026 in Likas here today.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Minister of National Unity Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Anwar said the formation of a nation-state like Malaysia requires great wisdom and patience, as shown by the country’s founding figures in the past.
He said figures such as the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, as well as leaders from Sabah and Sarawak, possessed noble spirits and a deep love for the country despite representing different backgrounds.
“It is interesting that figures such as Tun Temenggong Jugah Barieng, Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun, (and) Tun Fuad Stephens - they all had sincere intentions to make Malaysia a success,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reminded the people to continue the struggle of past leaders by safeguarding national unity and not allowing racial or regional issues to be used to sow hatred.
He said that the act of raising issues related to ethnic groups is not wrong, but actions that instil hatred and disrespect for differences will lead to division.
Anwar said the majority of the people realise that the benefits of unity contribute to stability, which is an important foundation for driving the country’s economic growth.
He added that the spirit of unity needed to be nurtured by respecting differences in language, culture, ethnicity and beliefs, and not just knowing one another on a superficial level.
As such, the Prime Minister wants unity mechanisms such as the Rukun Tetangga and Komuniti MADANI to continue playing a key role as main platforms for fostering close cooperation among different communities.
He also praised Sabah as an example of a state that demonstrates a commendable spirit of unity, especially through the harmony among its various ethnic and cultural groups during today’s celebration.
He said the lively celebration shows that the people of Sabah continue to serve as an example in efforts to preserve harmony and togetherness in a plural society.
-- BERNAMA
