(as published in Youth, The Star Malaysia - Cover
story 29/08/2007)
WE ALL recited the Rukunegara during our schooldays, and we
have heard it mentioned many times by politicians in the media. Yet, young
people remain apathetic towards the Rukunegara, and find it hard to relate to
its principles.
Universiti Putra Malaysia graduate Low Yee Chung, 23, feels that the Rukunegara has little relation to his life, or to the lives of his peers.
Universiti Putra Malaysia graduate Low Yee Chung, 23, feels that the Rukunegara has little relation to his life, or to the lives of his peers.
"I don't think we actually find ourselves truly
practising any of the principles, nor do we really understand what they are for
in the first place," says Yee Chung, who only knows the five principles of
the Rukunegara but not its historical context.
Although Yee Chung agrees that the Rukunegara embraces
universal values, he also feels that they are too general, "to the point
that they are something all of us know are essentially right."
Making young people recite the Rukunegara like a ritual,
especially so when they mouth the words without fully understanding their
meaning, is futile.
The Rukunegara is, in fact, the national ideology formulated
to guide the country's nation building efforts, taking the people through the
challenges of developing a multiracial country.
It was inspired by Indonesia's Pancasila (Five Philosophical
State Principles) and, according to one of the writers, Professor Emeritus
Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim, it is a philosophy to be "subscribed and practised
without fear or contradiction."
In the aftermath of the May 13, 1969, incident,
representatives from different levels of society came together and reached a
consensus for the nation's future direction. The Rukunegara was instituted by
Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah on
Merdeka Day in 1970.
It became the national ideology, a pledge of allegiance to
Malaysia as a whole, to fulfil the five national objectives of achieving a
united society, preserving a democratic way of life, creating a just society
where the prosperity of the country is enjoyed by all citizens in a fair and
equitable manner, guaranteeing a liberal approach towards our rich and varied
cultural traditions, and building a progressive society that utilises science
and modern technology.
Thus, the five principles of the Rukunegara – Belief in God,
Loyalty to King and Country, Upholding the Constitution, The Rule of Law and
Good Behaviour and Morality – are philosophical guidelines on being citizens
and helping the country achieve its national objectives.
Over the years, however, the Rukunegara has not been at the
forefront of national discourse, especially among the youth.
While change and development continue to happen in the
country, the national ideology has mostly been put forth in what Yee Chung
describes as "ceremonial recitals" in schools.
This has perhaps resulted in the younger generation's vague
idea of what the Rukunegara truly stand for.
"I don't think our teachers had ever taught us anything
about it. I remember asking one of my teachers why we had to recite the
Rukunegara during assembly. She just replied that it was 'a directive' from the Education Ministry, and that all schools must practise
it," Yee Chung recounts.
Socio-politic issues, problems and incidents in recent times
have also contributed to the youth's indifference to the Rukunegara.
"It's difficult to believe in principles we were told
to recite when we don't even see them being practised. It's no secret that
corruption still exists as well as racial insensitivity and inappropriate behaviour, even among some of our Government
officials," laments Animation student Lewynd Nishel, 20.
For instance, parliamentarians who made disparaging comments
in blatant disrespect of women (such as in the now infamous bocor episode), or
derogatory racist remarks certainly did not uphold the principle of Good Behaviour and Morality.
The public's faith in the fourth principle, Rule of Law, has
also suffered in recent times when the efficacy of the justice system was
thwarted by lackadaisical police work in several cases.
It certainly did not help to bolster confidence in the Rule
of Law when all 37 charges against Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md
Deros and five of his business partners pertaining to the contravening of the
Companies Act 1965 were withdrawn without explanation by the court last week.
Such incidents have left animation students Tan Wey Ping,
20, and Aima Kessy, 19, sceptical about the Rukunegara's power to bring a
change for the better.
"I do think that the Rukunegara is relevant, but if people
in power don't practise it fully, what good would it do for the average person
on the street like me to believe in it?" asks Wey Ping.
Aima says: "I think we're either too jaded to believe,
or we simply choose to ignore everything because from the looks of it, things
are hardly going to change and there's little we can do about it anyway."
However, there is no denying that the Rukunegara promotes
timeless universal values that are relevant in any Malaysian context.
Thus, perhaps it is not the Rukunegara that has become out
of reach, but it's the practice and understanding by Malaysians today that have
wavered.
The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, in his recent
keynote address at the first annual Student Leaders Summit notes that The
Federal Constitution and the Rukunegara institutionalised living together in peaceful, harmonious co-existence, that our
success as a nation is directly attributed to our ability to embrace our own
diversity based on those principles, and how young Malaysians should exert our full understanding of the Rukunegara to forge a
better future.
It was an inspiring experience for hospitality student
William Ng, 21, who was among the 500 students that attended the summit.
"I've made the Rukunegara my core principle in life
because I feel that adhering to it can make me a better person. Raja Dr
Nazrin's speech has made me more aware of the national ideology as well as our constitution, and how both of them are relevant to me as a
citizen," he says.
William believes that young people should be more open to
the Rukunegara and look up to the principles as a way of life, using the values
as the cornerstone from which youths can stand up for what they believe is
right.
"The younger generation can make a change, and I think
we should all start today," William concludes.