Reconciliation plan to help Malaysians reconnect with one another - Najib

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the National Reconciliation Plan (NRP), to be unveiled and implemented over the next few months, will help inspire the people to respect and reconnect with one another so as to make Malaysia a better home for all Malaysians.

The prime minister said the NRP would aim to encourage an environment that was conducive towards the promotion of national reconciliation through unity and consensus across the country.

Sharing a bit of what is to come on his blog www.1malaysia.com.my, Najib said: "The NRP is based on the principles of respect, working and playing together, and the spirit of give and take. This should underpin all that we do."

For a start, he said, the government wanted the people to start sharing stories on acts of kindness between races, and this included the mainstream and online media as well as social media users.

"For example, sharing a picture of a Malay policeman helping an old Chinese lady cross the road helps to reinforce what we already know but have forgotten, that we're all part of a Malaysian family," Najib said.

Najib stressed that the spreading of reports on actions taken by extremist groups and organisations that tend to destroy the trust between races should also be discouraged.

"You know that what these extremist groups are doing and saying on social media sites are wrong, so should we share such views online? If you want to preserve the harmony of this country, don't let these instigators overpower us.

"Even better, don't pass on news of such incidents as it's almost certain to incite fear and hatred. Don't give these extremists the publicity they crave," he said.

The prime minister said if no one reported on their actions, they would not gain the recognition they wanted and they would not be able to recruit more people to their cause.

"They will fail. But it comes down to us. We don't have to condemn them, just ignore them. Don't give them the airtime or the publicity," he said.

Najib pointed out that national reconciliation did not belong solely to the government as it was no longer the era of "government knows best".

It was a concept, he said, that belonged to the people, hence all Malaysians must play a role if they wanted peace and harmony.

"Our grandparents understood this and have been doing this for decades but we appear to be paying less attention to this today. If you want a better nation, if you want to have your faith restored in one another, then take the steps needed to do it.

"Once you do this, it will not matter who says what or which group makes silly demands, because you will know how you, your neighbours and by extension, how most Malaysians feel," the prime minister said.

Najib drove home the point that if Malaysians felt united as a people, the extremists, regardless of who they were and what they did, would get no traction.

"Destroy them by having faith in yourself and your fellow Malaysians," the prime minister said.

He noted that since he announced the government's plan for national reconciliation, he had been touched by the reaction of the people who had expressed their very strong support and encouragement for a more cohesive and united Malaysia.

Najib said most people would recall that immediately after the 13th general election, he was the first to call for national reconciliation while others were only concerned with questioning the legitimacy of the elections, which had been proven to be completely baseless.

"It was not an idle call. After months of quiet work on it, we're now almost ready to implement our plan of action," the prime minister said.

He noted that the opposition and various groups had made suggestions on how to proceed and he thanked everyone for their input, which would be considered.

"The NRP will help steer the course of national unity in this country and I invite everyone to continue supporting the government's initiatives," he added.