KUCHING: Leaders at all levels should help to spread the meaning of Malaysia Day, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Prime Minister said this was important because not every Malaysian knew the meaning of Malaysia Day and what happened on Sept 16, 1963, the day Sabah, Sarawak and states in the peninsula became one.
“It (Malaysia Day) is a very significant event.
“That is why Sabah and Sarawak have become more prosperous and secure as part of Malaysia,’’ he said at the national-level Malaysia Day celebrations at Padang Merdeka here last night.
Quoting a local newspaper report on Sept 15 which featured interviews with 20 people, Najib said only six of them knew what Malaysia Day was all about.
Eight of them thought that Malaysia Day was the same as National Day, three others said it had something to do with 1Malaysia and the remaining three knew nothing about it.
He said Sabah and Sarawak were the best example of 1Malaysia because despite their many ethnic groups, Sabahans and Sarawakians lived in harmony and unity.
“This example should be followed by other states in the peninsula.”
Najib also said that he would make sure there would be balanced development in Sabah and Sarawak, which were behind other states.
Since becoming the Prime Minister, he said he had visited not only big towns in Sarawak but also rural areas like the Bidayuh village Pichin in the Serian district.
On 1Malaysia concept, he said he wanted every Malaysian to have a sense of belonging as ‘’we are all part of a big family.’’
To commemorate the occasion, 10 Malaysians – three each from Sabah and Sarawak and four from the peninsula – were awarded Tokoh Kemerdekaan.
The recipients were Tan Sri Bujang Mohd Nor, Datuk Sri Dominic Dagok Ranten and Datuk Tra Zehender (Sarawak), Tan Sri Ampung Puyon, Datuk Abdul Malik Jangkat and Datuk Pang Pet Tshung (Sabah), Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim, Datuk Dr Hassan Ahmad, Dr Sivamurugan Pandian and Zaiton Othman (peninsula).
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