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KUALA LUMPUR: A series of books discussing notable occasions in the country’s history with the aim of fostering unity among Malaysians will soon hit the shelves.

In commemoration of the Rukun Negara’s 50th anniversary, the book series called “Projek Bina Bangsa” will explore the foundation of the nation through past events such as the Malayan Union, the Formation of Malaysia, and the introduction of the New Economic Policy, among others.

Author Eddin Khoo, the son of the late Professor Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim who was one of the drafters of the Rukun Negara, said the project, of 10 books, was essentially about putting historical events into context.

“The books cover a range of topics including the National Language Act as well as looking into other things such as vernacular schools and how certain decisions were made (then) on the plurality in our education (system).

“The book will also talk about the the Malay Reservation Enactment 1913 which was not just about land but it was really (about) defining communities…

“The book series will end with an edition on Wawasan 2020 (Vision 2020). I just got word that I’ve finally gotten an interview with (former premier Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad to reflect on his Wawasan 2020 and (content) of that interview will of course be in the book,” he said.

Khoo said this during the launch of the first edition in the series titled “Rukunegara: A Brief Introduction”. The series is an initiative by KL-based cultural organisation Pusaka and Allianz Malaysia Bhd.

“How many people know about Tunku Abdul Rahman’s (Malaysia’s first prime minister) speech on the day he resigned or the full content of the Rukun Negara including the preamble or the speech by (former minister) Tun Ghazali Shafie?

“I have woven in a lot of their own quotations (into the books) so that they could illuminate us about what the ideas were, what the objectives were and what the quarrels were (about).

“Another thing I must say is how beautiful the language was – the eloquence that went behind these things that seem to be totally lost in this very reductive culture,” he said.

Khoo said the first book, which was on the Rukun Negara, would present past speeches of former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak on the content of national philosophy.

The Pusaka and Allianz Malaysia founder and director expressed hope that the presentation of such occasions involving past leaders in the book would allow Malaysians to have more frank debates.

“I included some newspaper cuttings of Tun Razak’s speech in the subject of a liberal and just society and this (speech) came a day after one of our government agencies described (the word) liberal as an open, free belief system that is motivated by lust.

“And so there (should be) discussions on how do we encapsulate the concept of liberalism which is there in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence and of the Rukun Negara. Hopefully this debate can be sparked.”

The other titles in the series will cover topics such as the Malayan Union, the making of the Malayan Constitution, the formation of Malaysia, the National Language Act and National Cultural Congress, the Malacca Digest, the Treaty of Pangkor, the Malay Reservation Enactment 1913, the New Economic Policy, and Wawasan 2020.

The book series will be available online starting Sept 14 and at major bookstores by the end of the month.

By Arfa Yunus

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/09/624017/projek-bina-bangsa-aims-foster-unity

LETTERS: Dunia Melayu has existed for more than a millennia. From ancient Champa to the oldest monarchies in the world like Kedah (Langkasuka), Melaka, Kelantan, Patani, Perak, Johor Riau Lingga and Sri Vijaya, the culture has dominated our history.

The lure of Dunia Melayu was the promise of riches, holistic culture, or “adat dan adab”, knowledge and the beautiful balance of worldly and spiritual life.

Yet, this culture can be so easily obliterated, give or take 100 years. We must save it from systematic annihilation. How? Learn from history.

It is common knowledge that there was a thriving Muslim sultanate that ruled in Manila 300 years before the Spanish arrived in the Philippines.

How was this obliterated from history? The Spaniards built their version of Manila atop the very city it trampled on.And what about Melaka? What have we lost in this city that gave birth to our warriors and queens, master strategists and wise elder statesmen?

Melaka of old, whose busiest waterway in the world bears its name since ancient times, and Malacca today are worlds apart.

The city is devoid of a historical soul, its disconnect so jarring that I find it hard to breathe in Jonker Street.

I was, however, relieved to see that on the eve of National Day last month, Mendam Berahi sailed once more in Sungai Melaka in memory of Hang Tuah’s bahtera.

Today, there seems to be a lingering doubt of who we are. We find it hard to believe our Budaya Melayu is worthy of the world stage.

Rich civilisations are traceable to an equally rich literature. And ours is rich, indeed. Manuskrip Melayu accounts for more than 10,000 manuscripts, available in more than 150 museums and libraries across the globe in four major scripts: Rencong, Chamic, Jawi and Roman.

And yet their wisdom lies in vaulted rooms under correct temperatures, beyond our reach.Where did we go wrong? Why have we become so apologetic of our culture? Of our hikayat? Our performing arts? Our kebaya? Our kuih and woodcarving craft. Our makyong. Wayang Kulit, Asyik and Zapin.

Let us take our place on the world stage. The strong revival of Dunia Melayu can lead to a strong identity and confidence of the people.

This will spill over to other aspects — such as empowerment, professionalism, economic strength, education and strong roots promoting a balanced and holistic foundation — which translate into the nation’s better performance in terms of political stability, economically and thought leadership rooted in Tamadun Dunia Melayu.

And yet today, Dunia Melayu is akin to mimpi indah. Many cultural traditions, knowledge and craftmanship have been lost, and in direct proportion, the confidence and intelligentsia of the Malay world are adversely affected in the process.

From the 1980s to today, the government has taken the approach that economic empowerment is key to ensuring the prosperity of society.

Through the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Roadmap, the government worked towards the development and fair representation of Bumiputeras in the economy.

While this helped to kick-start economic revitalisation, development through purely economic means resulted in a new generation of Melayu who has lost touch with its roots and identity, and needs to grow as a people.

There is a call for a more holistic development, which incorporates socio-economic needs — like economic strength, education, moral values, social interaction, growth, arts and human development, knowledge sharing, spirituality, and the people’s shared aspiration — to live more liberated lives throughout the full spectrum of existence.

We seek the Shared Prosperity Dream on billboards that scream to our children with personalities tied to the violin they hold and the science they seek. So take a deep breath and read slowly after me: a nation without culture will be one without a future.

by Ninot Aziz.

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters/2020/09/622426/dunia-melayu-today-akin-mimpi-indah

AS Malaysians rejoice on Merdeka Day, we must be proud of our nation’s progress since its independence in 1957. I am part of the first generation of citizens born after Malaysia’s independence.

Without a doubt, our homeland has so far progressed impressively since then. In 1957, the nation’s per capita income was RM788. Last year, it was RM45,212.

Despite this, there are notable disparities. Last year, the nation’s Gini coefficient of disposable income was 0.393. The gap of mean income between the Top 20 and Bottom 40 income groups is RM15,354. Although income does not fully explain a nation’s socioeconomic wellbeing, it is a reliable metric in examining the challenges concerning the betterment of, at least, material prosperity.

Globalisation has narrowed the gap of individual and public health, life expectancy and physical human connectivity between countries. It, however, does not equate to genuine improvement in terms of a nation’s wellbeing.

This resulted in many people losing their jobs and access to better socioeconomic opportunities. The nation’s immediate concern is to restore its citizens’ livelihoods to the pre-pandemic level. This is especially crucial for those in the lower-income group.

Once recovery is achieved, income growth will become the key to long-term material progress. Although fair competitions produce disparity, a society where everyone is equitable in income distribution without competition is not ideal. Likewise, a society where winners take all is neither acceptable.

There are many tragedies and miseries in authoritarian states. They do not incentivise competitions. A democratic society must guarantee freedom of choice, association and expression.

These are the foundations for encouraging fair competitions that bring about equitable outcomes with minimal disparities between different income groups. In retrospect, we could have done better.

Malaysia, which is a multiracial country, has 32 million citizens. Our pluralism must be inclusive, morally and socially just, and the rakyat must have access to equal opportunities and rights to serve as the foundation to incentivise fair competitions and equitable outcomes, which can promote upward social mobility.

A majority of our elected legislators will not disagree with my suggestion. A democratic society ought to respect minorities who disagree. This way, citizens can reap the fruits of sustained social economic wellbeing.

In retrospect, our society has been working hard since 1957. The nation’s “sail” occasionally encounters high tides and strong winds. Despite the “unpredictable weather and sea conditions”, Malaysia continues on its long journey to its “destiny”. Its “captain, crew and passengers” must remain resilient and endure the sporadic bad weathers in the sail. We must strive to complete the journey.

The Rukun Negara, which was introduced on Aug 31, 1970, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Every citizen has been pursuing the ambitions inscribed in it: “Fostering unity in society, preserving a democratic way of life, creating a just society where national prosperity can be enjoyed equitably, building a liberal attitude towards the nation’s rich and diverse cultures, and building a progressive society that will make use of science and modern technology.”

These are the “North Stars” that guide all of us to the land created from the Five Principles of the Rukun Negara: “Belief in God, loyalty to the king and country, supremacy of the constitution, rule of law, and courtesy and morality.”

Japanese reformist Fukuzawa Yukichi said: “The independence of a nation springs from the independent spirit of its citizens. Our nation cannot hold its own if the old slavish spirit is so manifest among the people.

By Lau Sim Yee.

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2020/09/621774/we-must-be-inclusive-morally-just

JOHOR BARU: The Hungry Ghost Festival will be a “silent’ affair this year as performers say it will be their quietest year since entering the industry to entertain both humans and spirits alike.

As the present standard operating procedure (SOP) restricts outdoor mass gathering, temples and organisers have decided not to hold ge tai or stage shows which are typically set up outdoors throughout the Hungry Ghost Festival celebration, also known as Zhong Yuan Festival.

On top of providing entertainment, ranging from song, dance and Chinese opera, ge tai shows are usually held side-by-side with prayer altars and fundraising drives for devotees to give offerings.

Johor Muhibbah Music Lovers Association chairman Datuk Seri Kowa Cher Chiang (pic left) said the current situation would definitely be a first where no stage shows are held as celebrations would be toned down this year.

While there were suggestions to take the shows online under the new normal, he said the idea was not well received as many of the temple committees were from the older generation and were not open to the idea of online ge tai shows.

“What makes the ge tai shows interesting is the interaction between the performer and the audience, as banter and cheers make the performances that much more exciting.

“Online shows also defeat the purpose especially when the performers’ main job is to sing and dance for our ‘good brothers and sisters’, ” he told The Star yesterday, referring to the roaming spirits.

According to Taoist beliefs, the festival falls on the seventh lunar month when the gates of hell open for one month.

This year’s festival started on Aug 19.

The festival gives the hungry spirits a chance to roam the mortal world in search of food and entertainment.

Kowa, who also owns a local entertainment company with 20 years of industry experience, added that show organisers and temples in Johor started cancelling their plans from as early as March, right after the movement control order was put in place.

“This has impacted the entertainers’ livelihood and a lot of them, especially the younger performers, have switched to other jobs selling char kuay teow, nasi lemak and other home-based food and beverage businesses, ” Kowa said.

Kin Guan Sound & Lighting managing director Vincent Pang said in previous years, slots for the festival shows would be booked right after Chinese New Year.

“We would usually get orders for 30 shows each time but this year, there was none.

“Our regular customers and temple committees have chosen to hold indoor prayers on a much smaller scale, which is not open to public so as to limit the number of people, ” he said.

Read more @ https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/08/22/this-years-hungry-ghost-festival-will-be-a-silent-affair-due-to-covid-19

KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah tonight attended the national-level Maal Hijrah celebrations at Masjid Negara here.

Their Majesties were greeted upon arrival at 6.30pm by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

Also present were prime minister’s wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman and Zulkifli’s wife Datin Dr Shereen Mohd Yunos.

The event began with the recitation of the Quran by Ustaz Syukri Ali followed by the recitation of the “Yasin, tahlil, doa selamat” as well as year-end and new year prayers by the Grand Imam of the mosque Ehsan Mohd Hosni.

Their Majesties and the congregation then performed Maghrib prayer.

Zulkifli in his speech at the event said the theme for this year’s Maal Hijrah celebrations, “Ummah Rabbani Negara Harmoni” carries an important message that should be appreciated by all especially Muslims in facing the global Covid-19 pandemic.

“Hopefully, we can embody the spirit of Hijrah in the days ahead in the new norm,” he said.

by BERNAMA.

Read more @ https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/08/617877/king-queen-attend-national-level-maal-hijrah-celebrations