Letters from Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye

CSR: NOT ENOUGH BEING DONE TO FOSTER UNITY

MULTIRACIAL living and community are part of our history and heritage. They have become an important source of racial integration and have certainly played a part in making Malaysia a harmonious nation.

Unity is a priceless gift that must be preserved by all peace-loving Malaysians.
Even if economics, science and information technology are the driving forces of this era and the future, we must not lose sight of racial harmony and unity.
In the final analysis, economic development would mean nothing without understanding, harmony and unity among the people.

To me, unity among the different communities is the nation's biggest challenge -- the key to our very survival.It is, therefore, the responsibility of every Malaysian to meet this challenge. The corporate sector, too, has a key role to play.

Over the years, we have heard much about the social responsibility required of the corporate sector where the poor, less fortunate and underprivileged are concerned. However, very little has been said and done about the sector's social responsibility towards the promotion of unity.
While I wish to pay tribute to companies that have delivered towards many charities, I would also like to see that they spare a thought to fulfilling a greater social responsibility towards the nation.

From my observation, the corporate sector has not done much, for example, to promote unity or to help civil society groups play their role in fostering national unity.
What I wish to see is private companies including in their social responsibility agenda activities and programmes that are targeted at promoting unity in our multiracial county, in addition to what has already been done.

In return for such endeavours, the government should provide tax exemptions for such purposes and grant these companies recognition through annual unity awards.

Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
Trustee of Yayasan 1Malaysia
12 September 2012