In the Ring > Words that bind the nation

IF I had to choose the finest achievement of Malaysians, the strength to overcome the hurt of 1969 and the courage to lay the building blocks for collective, continued existence would be first on my list. IF I had to choose the finest achievement of Malaysians, the strength to overcome the hurt of 1969 and the courage to lay the building blocks for collective, continued existence would be first on my list.

In 1970, like a phoenix from the ashes, the Rukunegara eased the uncertainty, and helped shape the minds of people at a time of real crisis. In those trying months, the five mutually dependent pillars successfully bridged the divide of distrust amongst races, providing a hope for a better future that every Malaysian affected by the turmoil could relate to. The New Economic Policy provided the blueprint for the economic way forward but at that juncture, the nation needed a set of values and guidelines required for a multiracial society. The words ‘Belief in God, Loyalty to King and Country, Supremacy of the Constitution, the Rule of Law, and Courtesy and Morality’ filled the deepening vacuum.

According to stories that have been related to me, when the Yang di-Pertuan Agong proclaimed the Rukunegara in 1970, the positive vision immortalised in the document provided a real sense of hope for the people. It lifted spirits and painted a vibrant picture for the future of the nation.

Students in primary school, still too young to understand the relevancy and magnitude, remember being excited at seeing and memorising the sentences that described a promised nation.

Malaysia’s “pledge of allegiance” is once again featured in national conversation with the argument that many Malaysians through their actions via SMS and Internet have blatantly disregarded the meaning of the Rukunegara. So the natural question is, what does the Rukunegara mean to the post-1969 generation, which incidentally forms the majority of Malaysians today.

A vision is meaningless without the buy-in from the stakeholders.

I broached the subject with a fresh graduate student activist who said there was no proximity between the spirit and intent of the statement to his everyday life. It was nothing more than just words that furnished the back of his exercise books in school.

But can we fault his generation? Their eyes did not see the smoke-filled skies of Kuala Lumpur, their ears did not hear the screams that haunted so many of those affected. It is like being given a manual on how to use a vinyl record in this iPod era. The Rukunegara is not explained in detail in our classrooms. Memorising the words is not the same as understanding the significant meaning behind it. Like the fresh graduate, I too find it difficult to relate to the Rukunegara to my everyday life.

However, via my conversations, it remains in high regard. It represents the guiding principle of our nation, the essence of our constitution simplified to provide easy reference for the rakyat. It is a positive value statement that leads you to a way of life that is required for living in a multiracial society like ours. It is a statement that guarantees that every Malaysian has equal opportunities to succeed.

I see this through the success of my friend Shane, a 31-year-old Sabahan, who came to Kuala Lumpur to further his studies with nothing other than the prayers and aspirations of his family for a better future. I saw him graduate, secure his first job at a multinational company and commence his own business with limited capital and no experience.

Armed only with the belief that there are equal opportunities for all Malaysians, he is now well on his way to becoming a successful entrepreneur. It is unfortunate that we live in a time where negative and dangerous politics seem to gain supremacy, while we struggle to find a vision we can relate to. A vision borne of hope and not of fear.

A friend of mine said we must learn from history. But, we shouldn’t live in it. We have the benefit of the spirit, strength and wide framework of the Rukunegara as the starting point for our own new vision while honouring the legacy of our forefathers.