Posted on February 8, 2012, Wednesday
lantern at the Chap Goh Mei 2012 carnival at Dong Zun Temple. — Bernama photo
KUALA LANGAT: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib TunRazak on Monday urged the ‘rakyat’ including the Chinese to support the country’s transformation programmes in order to achieve the aspired high income nation status.
“The government will continue to implement major changes, transformation… if we carry out the transformation in the country, all races will enjoy the benefit.
“We want Malaysia to achieve the high income nation status in eight years,” he said in his speech at the Chap Goh Mei 2012 carnival organised by the Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) at the Dong Zen Temple in Jenjarom here on Monday night.
About 50,000 people, including the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Gerakan President Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, turned up to usher in the carnival which marked the final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Najib said the desire to achieve a high income nation status was not just a day dream but a vision that can be achieved if the people believed and supported the transformation process and programmes initiated by the government.
The Prime Minister said what was extra special and unique in Malaysia this year was the ability to celebrate three significant festivities – Maulidur Rasul on Sunday, Chap Goh Mei on Monday and Thaipusam yesterday – on three consecutive days.
“No other country, except Malaysia, celebrate three festivities consecutively over three days. This is our country’s unique feature,” he said.
Therefore, Najib urged the people of Malaysia to come together and find out what are the values that bind the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, Christian, Taoist and other religions together.
“In my opinion, though our religious beliefs may be different, we are all the same in values. This is the binding factor that has been the instrument for peace, harmony, unity and national integration,” he said.
“Though our beliefs are different but in terms of the principles in moderation there is a similarity in all religions and that moderation has brought about the values of respect for each other.”
Najib said the moderation has brought a very meaningful understanding to the people of Malaysia who do not practice extremism, fanaticism or breed militants who fight among themselves either individually or collectively just because they are not from the same religion or ideology. — Bernama
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