Bid to reclaim Malaysia for all launched

(The Rakyat Times) – In what can be described an historical event, several NGOs and concerned citizens have come together as one nation to launch, what they have described a people’s movement, called Negara-Ku, to reclaim the nation.

The movement, which is led by national laureate A Samad Said or better known as Pak Samad and former Bar Council chair, Datuk S Ambiga, has among other objectives, to reinstall the sense of peace, harmony, goodwill among all communities and understanding that Malaysia was so well known for in the past.

Aptly named ‘Negara-Ku’ or my country, the movement is focused on the formation of Bangsa Malaysia – a move away from the current ethnocentric and race-based politics of of the day.

In charter released today, the movement chastised race-based parties that are bent on perpetuating divisiveness and polarisation by reinforcing “their respective power bases”.

State has abdicated its role

It slammed what it described as “the manipulation of race, ethnicity and religion that has resulted in increasing intolerance, bigotry and extremism,” in a once prosperous and united nation.

The charter further says that the state apparatus has abdicated its traditional role of being honest and fair “brokers” in conflict management in society.

This, it said, has resulted in an “emerging sub-culture of political violence that are symptomatic of dangerous under-currents in society.”
The charter, which touches on a wide range of socio-ethnic issues, says that the proponents strongly believe that “the majority of the People want to end this brand of divisive ethno-religious politics.”