'Bangsa Johor' not meant to divide M'sians: Council
Published on: Friday, August 26, 2016
Johor: The 'Bangsa Johor' concept is not intended to divide the people but rather aims to unite the various races in Johor, said Johor Royal Court Council president Datuk Abdul Rahim Ramli.He said the concept had been introduced during the reign of the late Sultan Ibrahim in 1920, and was practiced until today."Many people do not understand the meaning of the term 'Bangsa Johor'. Because of this ignorance, various parties have expressed why Johor needs to be so special to have its people addressed as 'Bangsa Johor' when they should be called Malaysians.
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"Actually, this is not a modern concept, but was established by the late Sultan Ibrahim in 1920. This concept and institution was used as a symbol to strengthen the unity in Johor, and not meant to create a new nation or create discord among Malaysians," he said.He said all parties should learn and understand the history of the Sultanate of Johor before issuing any statement regarding 'Bangsa Johor'.Abdul Rahim said that if there were any parties of the view that Johor intended to establish its own nation or was trying to secede from Malaysia, then, clearly, these parties were misinformed.
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He said the council did not want people to get confused and think that the term 'Bangsa Johor' prioritised being a Johorean over a Malaysian citizen.He said the Sultanate of Johor since before had wanted to create a prosperous Johor, developed by all the races living in the state.
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"The late Sultan Abu Bakar also invited various foreign nationals, including from China, India, the island of Java to come and settle in Johor, and then created the term 'Muafakat Itu Berkat' (Consensus is a Blessing) so that the people would remain united."Sultan Ibrahim then created the term 'Johor Mesti Jadi Johor' because he did not want the people to split up, and then created 'Bangsa Johor' in 1920 so that harmony and progress could be achieved on a continous basis," he said.Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when asked of his opinion on the concept (Bangsa Johor) during the 20th Perdana Discourse Series at the Perdana Leadership Foundation Wednesday, had commented that unity among Malaysians could collapse states practised parochialism.Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khalid Nordin, meanwhile, stressed that the use of the term in Johor was not in any way intended to give a sense of being disassociated from the Federation of Malaysia.He said Johor was one of the states which helped form the Federation, and it would continue to uphold its close ties with the Federal Government."The relationship between the state government and the federal government should be interpreted accordingly in the spirit of a federal state and should not be 'unitary'."Accept the resurgence of Johor nationalism and 'Bangsa Johor' as part of the diversity in Malaysia. This multi-racial society is what makes Malaysia strong and special," he said in a statement today. Meanwhile, UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the use of the term Bangsa Johor in the state did not mean they wanted to become an independent nation, but was rather used as a term to lift up the spirits of Johoreans to move the state forward.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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