Malaysia is a country that is rich in culture and tradition.
Malay, Indian, and Chinese as the main races in Malaysia, added with the Bumi Putera of Sabah and Sarawak are several example races and ethnicities that are living in Malaysia. Malaysia celebrated its 61st independence day last August. Our leaders fought hard to get this independence so that we can live peacefully in this country.
It is very important to appreciate the freedom that we have been enjoying in determining our path and future by looking around us and see the physical and social development that has rapidly taken place. I strongly agree with the statement saying that Malaysians are lack of values and the spirit of being good Malaysian, especially among the youngsters. We must understand that we belong to Malaysia and not to another country. Until we succeed in boosting our social capital, no amount of economic development can strengthen our social fabric. This is why it is important for Malaysia to balance rapid economic growth with moral, ethical, and societal values. These values are the foundation of a civilized society. We often heard or read about these issues in social media.
Almost every day we hear that the users have disobeyed school student’s fight in school, the traffic rules and so on. Even our political leaders are emphasizing on this issue.Youngsters are the key to strength for development of a country. It is vital for the youngsters to have a high wisdom of competition, and the passion to love their country so that the country is the next generation to fill with vision and passion.
Unluckily, nowadays youngsters have very low patriotic spirit in them. Since patriotic attentiveness among youngsters is lessening over time, it has become essential to conduct researches to find out the level of patriotism in teenagers.Patriotism among the people in Malaya at the time before independence focused on the struggle for independence. National interest was regarded as more vital than self-interest. One is the lack of appreciation among the people of the history of the country. They do not know the past of the country let alone to sacrifice for the country.
Thus, there will be people who lack compassion and love for their own country.Moreover, cases of road bullies, traffic rule breakers, litterbugs, and thugs show that Malaysians are far from being well mannered and polite. For example, we can see that nowadays youngsters do not obey the rules, being selfish and lack of patience such as when edging into the yellow box on the roads when the traffic lights have already turned red. Most of the youths then well-educated respect, courtesy, consideration, politeness, propriety, honesty, and morality from a young age, and had enough self-discipline to hold to these standards. Yet, these moral values and self-discipline are slowly shrinking over the years, as most of the younger generation is slowly disregarding these ethics. The listed values have slowly faded away, as they mean little to these adolescents, as moral values and self-discipline are on the verge of disappearing. The negative behaviour condition as mirrored in problems like road bullying, breaking traffic rules, littering and being rude to the elderly has clearly proven that we are still far from being courteous and polite.
Virtues of courtesy, politeness, patience, humility, tolerance, and respect have yet to become our way of life. Other than that, nowadays-younger generations are lack of parental guidance. The family establishment could be the first victim of economic development, with children not getting enough attention and guidance from their parents who are busy following their careers, leading to the emergence of various social problems among our teenagers.
Parent as guardian to their children, and they should guide their children well. However, nowadays-modern parents seem like don’t care about this as for the academic achievement is more important than their children’s attitude. Their “don’t care” attitude is like a booster for this problem. Parents solely depend on school or education to improve this situation. Lack of parental guide can lead many teenagers to be an individual with less self-discipline to resist the temptation, and their raging hormones overpower their ethics. This lack in self-control or self-discipline in resisting their impulses leads to pre-marital sex and stop themselves from breaking under peer pressure where they are unable to say ‘no’ to their boyfriend or girlfriend. Under the western stimulus, subjects such as sex are no longer considered offensive.
Therefore, youths feel that it is okay for them to be uninhibited, which is a clear lack of principles.With the addition of digital technology in our daily lives, people have also become more self-absorbed and not fascinated by those around them. Family members immersed with their mobile phones or tablets over family meals is a normal sight in restaurants and homes in Malaysia. Spending quality time with the family has been overhauls by the need constantly check their mobile devices, which is bad manners at the table and can be considered rude. Social media is an important tool to keep families, relationships, and friendships closer in this digital age.
However, courtesy and respect for others are thrown out the window when some Malaysians behind the keyboard spread mischievous remarks, critical statements, and insults via social media.When we were in school, we frequently get hesitant whenever we are asking to do whatever patriotic. It should have filled in our hearts because Malaysia is our home and we should always love our country no matter what happens.
This is why we practised to wave the Jalur Gemilang up high and sing “Negaraku” loud and proud .we all surely has the potential to make our nation an enhanced place. We just need to shake off the inaccurate view that our sole duty as Malaysians is to live a peaceful life, have a nice family, make some money, pay our taxes, and try not to break any law. Malaysia needs to balance speedy economic growth with moral, ethical, and societal values. These values are the foundation of a sophisticated society. Something has to be done to prevent the already worsening situation from getting any further out of hand.We can organize a campaign or booths in public area or schools to implant the patriotic spirit among Malaysians. For example, schools can organise campaigns, which can help to improve the self-conscious among students relating to the importance of showing patriotism to their country.
We should have articles that are more interesting, news or stories in social media and electronic broadcasting to create more awareness about patriotism among us. Furthermore, we can do more fun and informative activities like drawing competition, poem reciting and more about our nation so that we as Malaysian can explore more about our country. Besides that, schools must make it a compulsory to sing our National Anthem, Negaraku during every assembly. Although it is a simple action, it would be a great way to show our dedication to Malaysia.
During the week before the National Day, the school can take the chance to hold several activities, such as drawing jalur gemilang competition, class decoration with the topic of patriotism, essay-writing competition and so on. Our government can develop the level of national unity through campaigns like an Open house, and 1 Malaysia concept and advertisement. The responsible team shall carry out a large-scale campaign through the mass media.
Campaigns related to patriotism will give consciousness to the community about the importance of patriotism among the people in our country. The electronic media such as television and radio really works to encourage and boost the spirit of patriotism among the people. Our local television channels and radio channels shall distribute the plan or program that can enhance the spirit of patriotism as publish articles about national independence fighters. The electronic media should also show dramas associated with the spirit of love for the country and films such as “Pleasure,” “Paskal” and “Bukit Kepong.” These type activities are not only to foster the spirit of patriotism but also to strengthen the solidarity between people in our country. Patriotism level also can increase through example and role model of national leaders and community leaders, regardless of race, religion, and political affiliation. The public will follow their leaders who have a high patriotic passion. Leaders must always remind and emphasize the importance of respecting independence has been achieved the struggle and sweat of independence fighters, past and appreciating wholeheartedly.
These are important because enjoyed independence should be appreciated, care, and maintained until whenever. In case if everyone does not emphasize this certainly enjoyed independence is difficult to justify and would not give meaning to generations yet to come.The civil service, for example, should endorse courtesy among counter staff dealing with the public.
Many of the public transport users have face problems with the rude drivers. The public is facing this issue on the daily basis as many not dare enough to complain to relevant team as not much action taken to overcome this issue. All those in authority must practise basic courtesies such as responding to calls and replying to letters from the public.
The success of any courtesy campaign must start from the school where courtesies and noble values must teach to our society. Moral Education in school should strengthen to emphasise the importance of learning and practising the 36 noble values. Kids absorb through observation and imitation. Therefore, adults should behave in a proper attitude do that our kids and youngsters do not get wrong thoughts about values and be a good citizen. It is not only about our values, even our national reputation based on our values, as our nation will be visited by most of the foreigners for vacation or business purpose.As parents are usually the role models for their children, what parents should do is to practise courtesy and noble values as part of their daily lives. That is why we have to strengthen the family institution as the basis of a healthy and steady society in the fight against social and moral decay.
Parents should teach their children about the concept of patriotism and accompany them to practice it since they were young. For example, they can send their children to Sekolah Wawasan or Vision schools where they can mix with all races and join multiracial community activities and others. Hence, by educating the young on patriotism, we are ensuring that national unity will continue to exist in the future.We have to start thinking of ourselves as Malaysians and not by race or identity based on our ancestors’ homelands. We have to be an active citizen.
Therefore, we should stop complaining and start doing something. If we feel unfortunate about the way, this country is ruled and that we should be much better off, then we should get off from our behinds, and make a decision now. We need to stop looking to the government, the present or future and try to solve all our problems because those just are not going to happen. We must believe that we can do our part to change our part of the world. It doesn’t have to be things like taking part in the next big protest, but something as simple as reminding our town council to collect the rubbish or cut the grass in the parks and as a citizen we mustn’t forget to vote as it is mandatory to determine our future. Back in May, we have watched how powerful a single vote can be.
We are leaving in a place where corruption taking a huge place. We must learn to reject corruption. Corruption is the plague of any society and we must have zero tolerance for it. The guilty is not just the person receiving the bribe or misusing his power, but the one who gives or allows someone to misuse his power. We need to make a commitment to never offer a bribe.
If we have done it before, admit it to ourselves or someone close to us that it is wrong and commit to never doing it again. We must report every corrupt person regardless of whether we believe action will be taken or not, from the junior officer to the most senior leaders. To offer a bribe or do nothing to stop it is to be an accomplice to a crime and betray our country.
In the recent general election, we found that if we locked arms and focused on the noble aspirations that we share in common rather than what divides us. We can rise and achieve great things, including knock over corrupt leaders calmly using the democratic process. At last, we have a chance to move forward and build a Malaysia we can all be proud of perhaps one day a nation that is held out as a model of generality and economic integrity among democratic nations where a nation that protects and enhances our natural environment. There are few hidden dangers among us that threaten our society now. Some of it will be drug abuse, juvenile crime, lack of parental care and guidance, society’s indifference, lack of spiritual strength and moral values, negative peer influence, insufficient role models, the weakening of the traditional family relationships in modern living, low self-esteem, and the lack of goal setting skills. In order to achieve a truly civilised nation, there must be a social transformation in terms of changes in attitudes and the value systems, with our youngsters playing an integral part in it. They need to channel their energy into positive and constructive activities based on their individual interests.
I strongly believe social problems, especially among youths could be restrained by providing them guidance and care not only from the parents but also from their communities as well. Good moral and ethical values must be given to youths with the highest priority in all programmes. These will ensure that they are trained and also prepared for national development .
Nation building the private sector can play a very vital role to promote a caring society through the setting up of welfare or charitable foundations to provide financial assistance to the people who really need that for education, medical and other needs. The young generation, please always remember to do something in line with the Rukun Negara which is our country’s philosophy. Do not just memorise the five tenets of Rukun Negara. We have to remember that the evaluation of a proper moral stance will vary according to circumstances of time and place. We have aware that the success of our political, economic and social systems depend on building shared values, habits and practices, which assure the respect for one another’s rights and fulfilment of one’s personal and collective responsibilities. Let us all, especially the leaders and youngsters become more responsible for the future of the nation and contribute to reducing the social problems described above in our societies.
Only then, children, our grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and we can live peacefully and happily in current and future. •Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2014/08/19/love-your-country-mb-expresses-concern-that-spirit-of-patriotism-lacking-among youths/#kPORRpdPTcoW2fFv.990•Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2017/01/31/malaysians-are-not-minding-their-manners/#IZXm3KjIgYlBrrh0.99•Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/ikim-views/2012/08/21/true-malaysians-and-patriotism/#WDwkmlsFm8VYdqMe.99•Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2017/01/31/malaysians-are-not-minding-their-manners/#7PGDRte3xqLoWjGt.99•Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/24/six-ways-malaysians-can-show-their-patriotism/#dF6dot8wM8Kex4qU.99
