All five principles of the Rukun Negara should not be interpreted selectively, but must instead be fully embraced as the foundation of the country’s political culture.
Former Selangor Exco member Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew said the principles — Belief in God, Loyalty to King and Country, Supremacy of the Constitution, Rule of Law, and Courtesy and Morality — form a complete national philosophy for all Malaysians.
He said that in today’s political and social climate, which is increasingly driven by emotion and division, politicians must return to the true spirit of the Rukun Negara.
“In my view, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s decree that politicians should attend Dataran Selangor twice a month to engage with the people and appreciate the Rukun Negara is not merely a symbolic or formal gesture,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Ronnie said the Sultan’s suggestion carries a deeper message about the importance of returning to the foundational values of nation-building.
He added that Malaysia’s current challenges are not only political competition, but also an increasingly extreme political culture marked by hostility and division that drifts away from the nation’s founding spirit.
According to him, modern politics should no longer be built on hatred, emotion, or division, but instead grounded in maturity, rationality, and mutual respect for national stability.
Earlier, it was reported that the Sultan of Selangor had suggested that Seri Kembangan assemblywoman Wong Siew Ki and Ronnie Liu attend Dataran Selangor once a week to better understand the Rukun Negara and respect the institution of the monarchy as well as the importance of etiquette and courtesy.
His Royal Highness said the move is important to ensure political leaders understand the core values that form the foundation of national unity and harmony.
