KUALA LUMPUR, The organising of Unity Day at school can be the best platform to boost the spirit of unity among students and improve understanding between races and religions in Malaysia, according to Deputy Minister of National Unity K. Saraswathy.
She said that to foster this spirit, the organisation of Unity Day at school is the best example as it involves the cooperation of students of various races, especially in making a performance a success.
‘A programme like this is very important in strengthening the bonds between all levels of society in this country,’ she said at the 2024 Unity Day celebration at Wesley Methodist International School, here today.
At the event, about 200 students of various races performed a ‘unity dance’ that displays the ethnic diversity in this country including Malays, Chinese and Indians as well as the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.
Also present were the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, New Straits Times Press (NSTP) group managin
g editor Datuk Ahmad Zaini Kamaruzzaman and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Board of Governors chairman Datuk Dr Anwar Ridhwan.
Meanwhile, Wong, who has participated in the Unity Day celebration at the school for four years, expressed hope that a similar programme can be organised in all schools nationwide every year.
‘It would be good if the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Unity could suggest that a programme like this be carried out in all schools across the country according to the module created by Wesley School,’ he told reporters after the celebration.
Wong said for media practitioners, the Maaf Zahir Batin Hari-hari #MZB365 movement had been initiated by the Civil Society Organisation (CSO) and the media in the country to promote the spirit of unity among the community.
As for Ahmad Zaini, NSTP is ready to support any school that wishes to organise such a programme to foster unity among people of various races.
‘As a media practitioner like Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, we take the s
ame initiative to help the ministry in fostering unity, this is a good effort and needs to be supported,’ he said.
Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia, Dr T. Jeyakumar, said that a similar unity programme will be organised in all Methodist schools in the future, taking into account the importance of unity among school students.
‘Looking at the lively celebration and the enthusiastic faces of the students here today, I know without a doubt that there is a strong spirit of unity among them as they performed the dances of other races with all their hearts,’ he said.
At today’s event, Saraswathy also launched the poetry anthology book ‘Jom Membina, Jangan Membinasa’ featuring poems by 69 students and 33 teachers of Wesley Methodist International School as well as 11 national poets.