BANGI, Oct 26 — Panelists at the nation building seminar have identified several aspects that both the government and Malaysian citizens needed to acknowledge if it wanted to achieve a united nation.

In a forum titled “Nation Building: The Challenges, Direction and Future”, one of the panelists Mohd Parid Sheikh Ahmad, said the government needed to focus on solving everyday issues faced by the people — poverty and the rakyat’s hardships — before preaching about  how to improve unity among Malaysians.

“The government needs to address things like poverty. How do you expect the people to listen to you with an empty stomach?

“These issues must be solved and only then the people will listen to talks of unity,” said Mohd Parid who is president of Muslim NGO IKRAM.

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Dr Mohd Parid Sheikh Ahmad said the government needed to focus on solving everyday issues faced by the people. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
Dr Mohd Parid Sheikh Ahmad said the government needed to focus on solving everyday issues faced by the people. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

He added that, focusing on things like “‘uniting the ummah” is not enough.

“Malaysians need to be open minded and progressive.

“We may be ideals, but we need to understand the problems faced by the people today,” he added.

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Dr Suresh said problems related to disunity stemmed from one’s mindset. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
Dr Suresh said problems related to disunity stemmed from one’s mindset. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Professor Dr Suresh Kumar P. Govind, a Parasitologist from Universiti Malaya (UM) said through his observations, there is a lot of unwillingness to talk things out and to try to understand each other’s race and religion.

“The ‘semangat bangsa Malaysia’ of ‘Malaysian spirit’ cannot exist if we don’t want to understand each other,” he said.

Dr Suresh also said, problems related to disunity stemmed from one’s mindset.

“When the mindset isn’t right, whatever aspect we think of will not be right,” he said.

He also said that Malaysians have a “syndrome” called the “cicak syndrome” or “lizard syndrome” (the sound made by a lizard).

“Among medical professionals we have this syndrome — the ‘cicak syndrome’.  The sound that lizards make is similar to a reaction often given when you express sympathy. 

“Malaysians often express sympathy, it is very easy to do so, but they are not doing anything to help because they don’t have enough empathy.

“They only want to look at a problem from afar, and say ‘very kesian’ or ‘so pitiful’. Malaysia cannot progress if its people only look at situations from afar,” explained Dr Suresh.

Thomas Fann said the country is in need of a system where all voices are represented and accounted for. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
Thomas Fann said the country is in need of a system where all voices are represented and accounted for. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Bersih 2.0 steering committee chairman Thomas Fann on the other hand highlighted that the country is in need of a system where all voices are represented and accounted for.

“Right now, although we practice democracy system, but it is still not perfect.

“Not all races have a voice. We need to find a system where it takes into account all voices of all races,” he said.

Atiqah Syairah Shaharuddin said the youths are the future and communities must place this as a priority to educate the youth. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
Atiqah Syairah Shaharuddin said the youths are the future and communities must place this as a priority to educate the youth. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Another panelist Malaysian Youth Council secretary-general Atiqah Syairah Shaharuddin said, the youths are the future and that communities must place this as a priority to educate the youth.

“Right now, youths are only associated with social problems. They need to be associated with definitions that place them as important figures who will one day lead the country,” she said.

At the end of the seminar, the congregation passed a four-point resolution that centred around the history of nation building in Malaysia;  understanding their role as backbone of the nation to uphold universal values in line with Islam; advocating intellectual reforms on the understanding of nation building; and realising the need for political reforms.

The Nation Building seminar is co-organised by Muslim groups WADAH, ABIM and PKPIM in conjunction with the groups’ sixth annual assembly.