KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — On the eve of the Malaysia Day celebration, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has called on Malaysians to uphold cherished values such as tolerance, respect, understanding and acceptance.

"These are the hallmarks of Malaysian society that we must treasure and always uphold,” she said in her Malaysia Day message.

She noted that 55 years ago Malaysia came into being when the Federation of Malaya merged with Sarawak and North Borneo (now Sabah).

"Ours is a great story of a beautiful union of three territories, each characterised with its own unique traits,” Dr Wan Azizah said.

The beauty of Malaysia truly lay in its people, the deputy prime minister said as she urged Malaysians to continue celebrating their harmony in diversity and enjoy the conversations in various languages around them.

"Our journey has been a long one and there are still so many more wonderful things in store for Malaysia. Together, we will wave our Jalur Gemilang (national flag) with dignity and pride,” she said.

Dr Wan Azizah also underscored that the country’s fight for freedom and democracy was done with absolutely no bloodshed and this was something the people of Malaysia could take pride in. "Today, let’s remember the struggles our forefathers and past leaders faced in making Malaysia a reality,” she added. — Bernama