Najib and Musa (centre) singing the Sehati Sejiwa song with the Sabah State Cabi-net Ministers and waving the Malaysian flags at the Enhancing National Unity and Integration Conference.
KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday stressed that it was wrong to undermine democracy of the country by spreading lies.
“Despite our best efforts to engage in a civil manner, we cannot discuss and debate when the truth is hidden by a cloud of false allegations,” he said in his speech at the Enhancing National Unity and Integration Conference, with the theme “Towards a Common Destiny” – where do we go from here?” at the Magellan Sutera Harbour Resort near here.
“It is not right when people try to stir up hatred against the government – a government that has been elected by the rakyat. It is not right to organise rallies dominated by one race, with the expressed aim of toppling the government. As we have seen, this then leads to rallies by other races. This could not be more dangerous and risks tearing apart the fabric of our democracy, our harmony, our unity,” he cautioned.
Najib added that the opposition parties, including former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammed, were playing with fire.
“They conspire with blackmailers, forgers and foreigners who want to interfere with our country just as they did in colonial times,” he said.
“There is no lie they will not tell, no rumours they will not spread, so that they can say Malaysia is on a dangerous course.”
However, Najib stressed that these people were the danger to the nation.
“In their desperate wish to overthrow a democratically-elected government, they are willing to risk the instability that has led to violent revolutions in many countries – some very close to us,” he said.
“We have seen the blood on the streets. We have seen the burning shops,” he said.
But Najib stressed that as prime minister, he would never allow that to happen in Malaysia.
“The peace and security of the nation is my government’s top priority,” he reminded.
“And despite efforts by the opposition and Tun Mahathir to create division amongst the rakyat, I am confident that we will prevail and stay united,” he said.
“It is only through pursuing national unity – managing our differences, not letting them cause bitterness and anger between us – and the regular course of parliamentary democracy, that we will remain the Malaysia that our friends around the world admire. I am determined that we will do so. This government will never stop fighting to preserve the peace, harmony and prosperity of the Malaysia we all love.”
Also present at the event were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and other Sabah Cabinet ministers.