KUALA LUMPUR: The role of the citizen is the most important matter established by the Federal Constitution, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
“Without the active knowledge and participation of citizens, our Constitution is an empty, meaningless and lifeless document,” he said this before launching the Bar Council’s “MyConstitution Campaign” and its first “Rakyat Guide” and “Rakyat Service Announcement” yesterday.
He said it was most unproductive to institute three branches of the Government – the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature – if the people did not understand their significance and the need to protect each.
“There is little point in calling ourselves a democratic nation if we do not hold free elections or if citizens do not appreciate and exercise their right to vote as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said.
Liew said Malaysians’ perception that the Constitution had no relevance to their lives changed after the March 8 general election.
He said the ensuing political upheaval and constitutional crisis had sparked interest in the Constitution but urges them to “go to the pond and drink the water themselves” instead of forming their opinions on what others had said.
Liew added that they were looking into how the Federal Government could tie-in with the campaign.
At a press conference, council chairman Ragunath Kesavan said they were not looking for financial support for their campaign but for the Government’s outreach to, among others, schools, colleges and district offices.
Edmund Bon, the chairman of the council’s Constitutional Law Committee, which is driving the campaign, said the guide would be translated into Mandarin and Tamil once they get sponsors.
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