KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah said unity is extremely valuable to the country and not something that can be bought and sold.

On this, His Majesty said that he hoped and prayed that all quarters would realise the importance of maintaining the current unity and solidarity.

“If there are cracks in our unity, all that have been built for the past 60 years will be destroyed and rendered meanngless,” Tuanku Abdul Halim said at a State Banquet in conjunction with the end of his tenure as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara here tonight.

Tuanku Abdul Halim also shared his experience of being in two eras, namely, during the time of Malaysia’s second Prime Minister the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and now his son, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Tuanku Abdul Halim said that in his observation, there were several clear similarities betwen the two (Prime Ministers).

“Among others, the late Tun Razak was a gentle person, courteous, disciplined, did not talk much, but worked very hard to develop the nation, which was still akin to a toddler struggling towards progress. “What more at that time, the lot of the Malays and Bumiputeras was still disorganised and topsy turvy. As such, demanding an efficient and commanding leadership from Tun Razak,” he said.

He said numerous Bumiputera agencies and institutions such as MARA, FELCRA, UDA, RISDA, PERNAS, and Bank Bumiputra, with the most successful and respected globally being FELDA, were set up by virtue of the effort and planning, which were of long term in nature, by Tun Razak. “Thank God, the leadership of FELDA is sustained and continued by his son, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib,” said His Majesty. Tuanku Abdul Halim also shared about the racial crisis during the era of Tun Razak that was triggered by certain unscrupulous quarters which culminated in the May 13, 1969 tragedy.

But, he said, the crisis was handled well and the country became peaceful again.

Tuanku Abdul Halim said the New Economic Policy introduced by Tun Razak aimed at boosting the socio-economy of the Malays and Bumiputeras and to balance economic disparity that has lasted for more than 30 years, overall had achieved its objective.

He said the meaningful policy sustained vision after vision, until the era of Najib’s administration today.

He also thanked and congratulated the government led by Najib for all the support extended to him as Head of State during his present tenure as Agong.

“The Raja Permaisuri and I pray to Allah for the government and people to be showered with peace, prosperity and tranquility in a cohesive bond for our beloved Malaysia,” he said.

More than 500 guests attended the event, including Cabinet ministers, senior government servants and foreign representatives. Tuanku Abdul Halim will end his tenure as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Dec 12.

He recorded national history when he became the Yang di-Pertuan for the second time in 2011 after being installed for the first time in 1970. The Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V will succeed Tuanku Abdul Halim as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The 243rd Meeting (Special) of the Conference of Rulers elected Sultan Muhammad V as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong effective Dec 13 for a five-year period.

The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah was elected as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the same period. — BERNAMA

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