SIBU: The National Day celebration 2024 themed Malaysia Madani Jiwa Merdeka aims to reflect Malaysia’s desire to enhance the well-being of its multi-ethnic and multi-religious citizens in a more holistic manner.
According to Minister in the Premier’s Department (Native Laws and Customs) Datuk John Sikie Tayai it emphasises not just material progress but also a more progressive approach grounded in various dimensions that encompass noble values and high national spirit.
“To ensure the sustainability of this effort, every Malaysian citizen should be instilled with a strong sense of independence, encompassing all layers of society, from leaders to the grassroots.
“A liberated spirit is seen as capable of building an identity rooted in local values, ultimately producing dynamic Malaysian citizens with the competitiveness and high competence needed to excel on a global stage,” he said.
He said this in his speech at the Sarawak-level National Day Celebration Assembly at the Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud Chancellor’s Hall at the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) here today (Aug 31).
Sikie who is also responsible for overseeing the 2024 Sarawak State-Level National Day celebration added that a generation with a liberated spirit will always be ready to step out of their comfort zone, which has long been considered a barrier to progress.
“A generation with strong determination and high confidence in their abilities will continue to face challenges, without easily giving up, and will always strive to improve themselves.
“To cultivate a liberated spirit among the citizens of this country, continuous effort is required, and it should start with the younger generation by educating them on the meaning of a liberated spirit. As the saying goes, “melentur buluh biar dari rebungnya,” he said.
As for the celebration, he said that it is aimed to instil deep awareness, especially the youth, about the importance of patriotism and love for the country, just as previous generations defended it.
“The organisers of the National Day Celebration at the Sarawak state level, as well as the programmes throughout National Month, are hoped to be seen not only from a symbolic perspective but also to embody the true spirit of patriotism and love for the homeland.
“The core concept of patriotism is to build understanding and unity of values among the diverse society in this country, so that they are united in ideas and actions in reflecting loyalty to the nation,” he said.
He stressed that the spirit of patriotism must be embraced by all levels of society, especially the younger generation.
“The younger generation needs to be instilled with patriotic values from an early age so that when they grow up, it will become the core of their identity, with love for the country that will not fade even into old age,” he added.
