SIBU: The 1Malaysia Foundation is to submit its proposal to the federal government calling for Sept 16 to be observed as a National Unity Day.The trustee of 1Malaysia Foundation, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, in stating this yesterday, said the foundation would forward the proposal by next week.
“The reason why we propose Sept 16 is because it is Malaysia Day when Malaysia was formed together with Sabah and Sarawak,” Lee told a press conference at a leading hotel here. He said should the proposal be approved then, people in the country, irrespective of race, could commemorate the national unity day.
“National unity is very important as now we have the 1Malaysia concept expounded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak,” Lee said, reiterating that the proposal was in line with the 1Malaysia plan.
1Malaysia concept can only be successful if all the races in the country were committed to work towards a united Malaysia, he said.
To a question, he said the foundation formed in June last year was aimed at initiating, facilitating and supporting programmes to unite all Malaysians irrespective of race, religion and socio-economic standing.
Being a non-governmental body, 1Malaysia Foundation was responsible to raise its own funds through the private sector.
Lee revealed that the fund raised would be used to carry out their activities and programmes across the country to promote 1Malaysia.
“Promotion here means working with schools, communities, business organisations or all who believe in 1Malaysia,” he explained, adding that they would be having some activities of 1Malaysia in Sarawak.
In his press statement earlier, Lee said the principles of the foundation also encouraged public discussion and participation in critical social develop-ment, public issues and programmes. He added that it (foundation) took every step to help achieve a truly united Malaysian nation.
Dwelling into the 1Malaysia concept, he said it set the pace for the rejuvenation of the unity building process involving every Malaysian irrespective of race, colour or creed.
Even if economics and information technology were the driving forces of this era and in the future, “we must not lose sight of racial harmony and unity”, he stressed.