KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Malaysians must choose between building a new and respected Malaysia or allowing the country to fall back into the company of rogue and failed nations, Lim Kit Siang said.

During a speech in Johor last night, the Iskandar Puteri MP said the country has all the ingredients needed to become a world-class nation if it holds true to the National Principles (Rukunegara) that he accused the Barisan Nasional government of neglecting.

The DAP lawmaker noted that efforts were ongoing to foster hostility among the country’s different communities using religion.

"Do we want to make the mistakes of the past and allow lies and falsehoods to preach extremism, hate and intolerance of race and religion to tear Malaysia asunder?

"This is the choice before the present generation of Malaysia, who must understand that we are at the crossroads of Malaysian nation-building,” Lim said in his speech.

Lim added that Malaysians managed a political miracle last year when they handed Pakatan Harapan an unlikely victory in the general election and should not forget the wrong decisions that had sent the country on the path to kleptocracy.