Mini WaterFall Kemensah

Mini WaterFall Kemensah

Rabu, 19 September 2012

Letter from Dr. Chandra Muzaffar



NATIONAL UNITY: THE CORPORATE SECTOR’S GREATEST SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

My colleague and friend, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, is right in urging the corporate sector to do more to promote national unity (NST Letters September 12).There are at least five reasons why well-heeled private companies should provide more substantial and sustained financial assistance to endeavours by citizen groups on behalf of this national mission of ours.

One, efforts by citizen groups are as important as state initiated policies and programmes to achieve national unity since real unity is possible only if the people develop empathy for one another regardless of cultural and religious differences. To achieve such empathy, citizen groups themselves --- rather than the State---- should pioneer a variety of unity oriented activities at the community level.

Two, to do this citizen groups which are by and large limited in their financial resources need support. The State cannot be expected to assist citizen groups on its own given its financial constraints. Besides, it may not be wise for citizens groups to depend too much on the State. On concerns such as national unity, citizen groups should exercise a degree of independence in their positions. This is why local private sector support is vital.

Three, it is important to emphasize local private sector support since foreign funding for national unity programmes may not be in the larger interest of the nation. National unity is one area where Malaysians should exercise total sovereignty in determining the destiny of the nation.

Four, the private sector should realize that supporting independent citizen initiatives on unity is not like supporting other types of community programmes. Unity among the different communities is the crux and core of our survival as a nation. It is fundamental to the stability that is the pre-requisite for economic development and prosperity.

Five, today, the challenges facing this fundamental essence of our survival have become more complex than ever before. The corporate sector knows this. It would not have fulfilled its social responsibility if it does not prioritize national unity. And one of the most effective ways of prioritizing unity is by providing financial support to genuine efforts by citizens groups to enhance national unity.

The State and society should in turn reward and honour private corporations that prove through deeds that they are totally committed to national unity.



Dr. Chandra Muzaffar,
Chairman,
Board of Trustees,
Yayasan 1Malaysia.
Petaling Jaya.
14 September 2012.

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