TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library

TRIBUTE TO TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
Malaysia will be formed on the desire of the people themselves.
Nobody will be drawn, forced or coerced into it.
I have come as a man of peace. In the short time that I have
been Prime Minister, I have travelled extensively - first to get to
know the various peoples of Asia, and second to spread my
mission of peace and goodwill.
We want a nation where there will be freedom, equality,
peace, justice and prosperity for all. No one single race must
try to dominate the others. The less fortunate of them are to
be given help, and this is the reason for the reservations for
the indigenous races of Malaya and Malaysia.
Citizens of the country of whatever race have the right in
Malaya, and later Malaysia, to be the Prime Minister and to
form the Government and the Governments of the states.
In our multi-racial society, our Malayan democracy, nothing is
more fundamental than harmony between the many races which
form the Malayan nation. In fact, if I were asked to name one
single outstanding quality to explain the success of Malaya as a free
nation, I would without hesitation say it is due to racial understanding
and co-operation. Not only does this harmony express the
trends of thought and feeling in this country, but it is a treasure of
priceless value to each and everyone of us.
It is sheer hypocrisy to suggest that when democracy
is attacked we should remain silent and consider ourselves at
peace with the world. Small as we are, we are not cowards
and we are not hypocrites. In fact today, neutralism is no
guarantee of one's safety.
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