National Unity Advisory Council To Be Revived
Tuesday, 6 April 2004 (Source: Bernama)

KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, who is in charge of the National Unity and Integration Department, intends to revive the National Unity Advisory Panel to strengthen programmes to foster closer race relations in the country.

"The advisory panel must be revived immediately. Programmes which failed its intended aims will be reviewed while programmes which saw good returns will be maintained and fine-tuned even further," he told reporters after visiting the department, formerly known as the National Unity and Social Development Ministry, at Wisma Bumi Raya, here, Tuesday.

He said the revival of the advisory panel had been endorsed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and it would meet once every three months.

"We have also decided to trim the 49-member panel to 35 members with more space for youth and women. We can add the panelists if the need arises. We want to have a cross-section of the society drawing up plans and programmes to foster integration and patriotism," he added.

He said the focus of the department now was not so much to foster unity among Malaysians but to inculcate a sense of patriotism among the people.

"Our racial unity is very good, so now the focus will be to love the country. We want feedback from the people on how we can achieve this and that is why the advisory panel will consist of all segments of the society," said Ongkili, who will be heading the panel.

He said that in the past the panel was not very active because there was less focus on integration and national unity.

The government, as promised by the Barisan Nasional in its general election manifesto, would place greater emphasise on unity among the races and instilling the patriotic feeling among the people, he added.

"National integration and unity are the cornerstone of whatever the government does. All the Malaysia plans emphasise this fact. Although this department had done well over the years, there's still lots more that we can do."

He said that while Malaysia had achieved national unity, the target to achieve complete national integration was still elusive.

"Usually, when the issue of integration is brought up, we always think it's bringing the people of Sabah and Sarawak closer to the people of the peninsula, but we don't just want this. We want the people of Malaysia to be integrated as Bangsa Malaysia.

"We also intend to revive the functions of the Rukun Tetangga (neighbourhood watch), which will be the centre for all inter-racial activities in the future," he said.