FOR a reset to return to the original nation-building principles and policies of Malaysia, one of the first issues is to resolve the dissonance of two dates – National Day on Aug 31 and Malaysia Day on Sept 16.

At present, National Day is primarily celebrated officially in Kuala Lumpur while Malaysia Day is officially celebrated in either Sabah or Sarawak.

The official celebration of National Day should not be primarily confined to Kuala Lumpur while the official celebration of Malaysia Day should not only be limited to Sarawak or Sabah but circulated nationwide.

Both dates should be officially celebrated throughout the country – by rotation.

National Day should be about national issues while Malaysia Day should not be confined to the restoration of Malaysia Agreement 1963 to ensure equitable relationship of the three Malaysian territories – Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.

Sarawak will have three dates, including Sarawak Independence Day on July 22.

Malaysia has embarked on the great task of a reset to return to the original nation-building principles and policies to make the country a world-class great plural nation with restoration of the credibility, legitimacy and integrity of institutions – the judiciary.

It should also be how to make Malaysia a world-class great plural nation

It is most touching and heart-warming that the former lord president Tun Salleh Abas was honoured in a special reference by the judiciary where Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said that the constitutional crisis of 1988 had shown that despite attempts to undermine the independence of the judiciary, judges must be faithful to the Federal Constitution and be resolute in upholding the rule of law.

Describing the 1988 constitutional crisis which saw the removal of Salleh from his post as Lord President as the “darkest chapter in the history of the Malaysian judiciary”, Tengku Maimum stressed that an independent judiciary that is free from external influences is the “life-blood of constitutionalism in a democratic society”.

She said: “This is the foundation of judicial power and the central component of the doctrine of separation of power”.

For three decades since the 1988 constitutional crisis, the principles of the separation of power, the rule of law and the independence of judiciary, came under a cloud – but the political miracle of the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9, 2018 had brought out the sun.

This is the first step for Malaysia to fulfil her potential to become a world-class great plural nation – by returning to the original nation-building principles and policies of the nation.

Veteran lawmaker and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang is the MP for Iskandar Puteri.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.

https://focusmalaysia.my/uncle-kit-resolve-the-dissonance-of-two-dates-aug-31-and-sept-16/