KUALA TERENGGANU, 9 Oct 2008: Datuk Seri Najib Razak today called on the people to reject any form of unruly behaviour towards the country’s leaders.
The deputy prime minister said the government did not want such behaviour to become a norm because it could undermine unity and security of the country.
Citing as example the unruly incident at the Hari Raya open house of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and other Muslim cabinet ministers in Kuala Lumpur on 1 Oct, he said such action could cause losses to the country.
“If there are parties with other motives, who don’t understand the culture of courtesy, are rude and don’t respect the leaders, the people must reject them. This kind of action cannot become a norm,” he said when launching the countdown for the FEI-World Endurance Championship (WEC) 2008 in Gong Badak near here.
Najib, accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, is on a one-day visit to Terengganu.
On 1 Oct, a group of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters caused a disturbance at the cabinet open house at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) when they attempted to present Abdullah with a bear and a Hari Raya card bearing 300 signatures calling for the release of Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Najib said the government held the open house to enable the people to meet and greet the national leaders without having to observe protocol.
It was a unique culture which was not practised anywhere else in the world and it showed the peace that the people in this country enjoyed.
“Never in other countries can the the people meet their leaders so easily. (But) this value of peace will be destroyed if certain parties have other motives. This value of peace cannot be ignored,” he said.
He said that if such actions persisted, it might not be possible to practise the open house concept in future and that would be a loss.
He said courtesy was not something that could be bought. It was a legacy of the Malaysian society and it must be be accorded to the foreigners during the WEC 2008.
A total of 150 equestrians from 34 countries will be taking part in the championship to be held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in the Bidong Vally, Setiu, from 6 to 9 Nov. — Bernama
