LAUNCHING: Najib presses the button while launching the 1Malaysia Community (K1M) at Bukit Beruntung. Also seen are Datin Seri Rosmah (third right) and Rais (second left). — Bernama file photo
HULU SELANGOR: 1Malaysia Community (K1M), a multi-racial volunteer organisation officially launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Jan 6 is set to help the public to better understand the initiatives taken by the government to help them.
K1M goes to the ground with the participation of the locals through volunteerism in numerous programmes of interest including those with cultural elements and K1M products.
Since being established in June 2011, a total of 1,200 K1M units have been registered throughout the country and they have been taking on volunteer work actively.
According to the Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, K1M under the auspices of the Information Department would strive to enhance unity among the various races in the country apart from creating a knowledge based society in line with the 1Malaysia aspiration.
“With this unit, including the agencies under the ministry, we will establish a network at the ground to help the government play its role effectively,” he said at the launch of the K1M.
In other words, what ever organised by the government, the K1M unit would get things moving – gather volunteers, advocate government policies, deliver the message, help those in need and carry out community work.
K1M is the transformation from the ‘Komuniti Bestari’ with marked improvements made by the Information Department. Three of the original Komuniti Bestari programmes have been maintained with another two new ones added.
All activities conducted come under five areas — Resilience Development and National Unity through ‘Rakan Padu’, Sosio-Economic Development through ‘Rakan Usahawan’, Information Sharing through ‘Rakan IT’.
The two new areas are the arts and culture through ‘Rakan Budaya dan Interaksi Sosial’, and fostering greater understanding through ‘Rakan Harmoni’.
According to the Information Department’s director-general Haji Ibrahim Abdul Rahman, ‘Rakan Padu’ would help enhance patriotism and unity to establish national resilience among the people regardless of their political inclination, religion or race.
The ‘Rakan Usahawan’ is to create awareness and instill interest in economic activities to improve the living standards of the locals.
The ‘Rakan IT’ encourages people to share information in creating a knowledgeable society and also in gathering feedback on the government programmes.
The Rakan Budaya is to help highlight and preserve the national cultural heritage through the community’s noble values and cooperation.
“Meanwhile, the ‘Rakan Harmoni’ helps inculcate neighbourliness, cooperation, mutual respect, consensus among the different communities and religions.”
K1M is actually a voluntary setup established in every parliament constituency with a minimum of 10 volunteers to help those in need through welfare and social activities.
So far, several social programmes have been undertaken by volunteers under ‘Rakan Harmoni’.
“The volunteers identify individuals of the unfortunate segment of the society and for example conduct ‘gotong-royong’ in repairing their houses.
“Other than this, through the Rakan IT, they help to disseminate the right information to the society. As for example, recently the volunteers taught mosque committees on the right way to use the public address system (PA System).
“Though it may look like a small undertaking, for us in the Information Department it is a great way to serve because this is our specialty. We could indirectly guide Rakan IT on how to impart their expertise and efforts to the society,” explained Ibrahim.
— Bernama