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Contributed by the National Young Lawyers Committee

In an engaging and productive roundtable held among young Malaysians including lawyers, researchers, educators, academicians, students, political leaders and NGOs, the 1st Young Malaysians Roundtable Discussion on National Unity & Development in Malaysia “Challenges & Prospects for Nation Building” on 3 April 2007 saw important concerns and conclusions drawn on various aspects of national unity.

Officiated by HRH Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah and co-organised by the Committee and the Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) of the influential Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI), a 20-point Consensus Document was drafted culling the discussions and points of agreement on national unity.

Taking the lead from HRH Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah’s powerful Keynote Address, the Consensus Document states as follows, among others:

I. On Sustaining Open and Constructive Dialogue

• We have reached a stage in our nation’s development that necessitates a level of honest and critical introspection and self-examination which are crucial elements in understanding ourselves as a nation.

• The views of the youth as an essential segment of Malaysian society must be included without restrictions in forging an identity for the nation thereby requiring their greater education and participation with concomitant strategies and mechanisms for enhanced engagement with them in dialogue.

• Government, non-governmental organisations, religious groups, business enterprises and in general, civil society are key role-players in initiating and sustaining continuous dialogue in more open and wider public spheres within the scheme set out above.

• Constructive dialogue is an important tool towards enhancing inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations towards national unity.

• Dialogue should be conducted in an open yet safe atmosphere of mutual understanding, acceptance and respect, and that knowledge should be exchanged through a process of sharing and discussion in a non-judgmental and non-discriminatory way. In particular, “enforced solutions” including threats of violence or coercion must be avoided.

II. On Ethno-Religious Politics and Implications on Nation Building

• The key to developing a strong and united Malaysia is to be founded on core principles of justice, equality and respect for human rights and fundamental liberties of every person regardless of race or religion, as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

• The interests and needs of the disadvantaged, marginalised and vulnerable must be accorded due recognition.
• Any level of apprehension experienced by young Malaysians towards ethno-religious policies have a real and tangible effect upon nation building, materialised in the present and experienced in the future.

• Ethnic-based politics and racist ideologies in any form must be rejected.

III. On Education Policies and National Development

• The Government’s education policies within primary, secondary and tertiary level institutes are important instruments that should promote national unity.

• The Government’s education policies should however reflect the reality of Malaysians and their ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.

IV. On Forging a Young Malaysian Identity towards National Unity

• There is a need to forge a Malaysian identity towards shaping a future founded upon national unity, especially among the younger generation which will form the future of our Malaysian leadership.

• The time has come for Malaysians to move beyond its “accommodation-ist” approach to interacting with one another in terms of mere tolerance; towards a full appreciation, understanding, acceptance and equal treatment of every person regardless of race or religion and in embracing all diversities and complexities.

• National unity should move beyond a superficial interpretation based on form (e.g. food, language and traditional festivals) towards one based on essence, substance and shared values (e.g. mutual respect, love, justice and equality).

In conclusion, the Roundtable noted an urgent need to ensure sustained and effective implementation of constructive steps towards achieving the above. In this regard, the Consensus Document states as follows:

• There is a need to stress common and shared values of every person regardless of race and religion, and to eliminate the misuse of identification by ethnic or religious background.

• There is a need to de-construct arguments or discussions entrenched along racial or religious paradigms within our nation, moving towards an egalitarian issue-based paradigm.

• There is a further need to foster and implement strategies to better manage ethno-religious politics, in particular those which are in conflict with national unity policies.

• All educational institutes are urged to incorporate programmes and training modules that seek to improve ethnic and religious relations, bearing in mind historical, anthropological and sociological aspects with the aim of promoting national unity and racial harmony.

• Malaysian educational institutes in particular its educators are urged to enhance teaching and research standards encouraging critical thinking including allowing greater acceptance and diversity for divergent opinions with the aim of being international leaders in their fields.

• There should be concerted efforts to determine factors which repel young Malaysians from their home country, with a view to encouraging Government and civil society to seek solutions and strategies towards eliminating these negative features.

The Document also calls on the Government to engage, increase its co-operation with, and support the community of young Malaysians through their representation and active participation at youth movements, non-governmental organisations, religious groups and in general, civil society particularly in relation to the nation building process. Key policy-makers are urged to take into serious consideration the views, perspectives and opinions arising from the Roundtable during the formulation process of Government policies and practices.

With the formulation of these parameters, it paves the way for the Committee and CPPS to explore various strategies in utilising the Consensus Document to lobby Government and key policy-makers. Among the initiatives under discussion include:

• Engaging official channels including the National Unity and Social Development Department, the National Unity Advisory Panel and the Parliamentary Select Committee on National Unity and National Integration on the various issues.

• Conducting a quantitative survey on the views of young Malaysians and publishing the findings in a report regarding the matters under consideration, and offering solutions and recommendations.

Early feedback from the participants in relation to the Roundtable have been encouraging and positive, layered with hopes that inter-ethnic and -religious relations among Malaysians will improve in the near future.

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