THE Malaysia Madani concept needs to be translated into more specific terms with content that best fit the state’s local context, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said the idea of developing Malaysia Madani applies to Sabah’s atmosphere and needs, including its landscape and local ecosystem.
“We acknowledge that the concept of Malaysia Madani is comprehensive and inclusive. However, we also need to be aware that Malaysia Madani is a national framework that is universal and open. Thus, the process of localisation or translating the national idea into a more specific local context is important,” he said when officiating the Seminar on Developing a Malaysia Madani at the Sabah International Convention Center (SICC), Kota Kinabalu, on Feb 14.
Hajiji said Sabah has its uniqueness in terms of socio-culture, socio-economics, and socio-politics, in addition to local aspirations that have yet to find a strong place in the national image.
“Therefore, we certainly have unique needs within the national framework of Malaysia Madani. This awareness is what needs to be worked on in this seminar so that the results reflect the national spirit of Malaysia Madani supported by local features.
“In simple language, we need to accurately map the concept to the landscape and ecosystem of the state of Sabah. I believe, in creating a truly civilised country, the process must be driven by the principles of social justice, economic and cultural empowerment, which fights for human rights, freedom of expression,” he said, adding that as a state with a diverse ethnic, geographic and historical background, Sabah can take the lead in this endeavour.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said the ideas of Malaysia Madani and Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ), which was introduced by the state government in Sept 2020, share the same aspirations and dreams, which is to see a country or state that is successful and developed with a pure humanitarian model.
“For example, one of the initiatives of the direction of SMJ is to strengthen the socio-economics of the people and make the distribution of prosperity more inclusive.
As for the Malaysia Madani concept, one of its goals is to reduce poverty and create better job opportunities.
“By combining these two initiatives, the government has a more comprehensive approach to increasing the progress and development of the state, which is in line with the national framework and local aspirations,” he added.
