Pakatan leaders praise Tunku's legacy of tolerance and unity

KAJANG: Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's "Father of Independence" was a man who was proud of the multi-racial community he nurtured and did everything in his power to ensure harmony and prosperity for the nation.

On Monday, some 200 people attended the 'Legasi Bapa Kemerdekaan – Tunku Abdul Rahman' forum, in conjunction with his 111th birth anniversary, at the New Era College in Kajang.

"Tunku always said there was a place for everyone under the Malaysian sun, and did what he felt was best in order to give all Malaysians an equal place in the nation," said former Bersih chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Ambiga claimed that the spirit of nationalism evident during Tunku's time has faded over the years, adding that "racial divides seem to be the basis on which the country is being run".

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang shared that Tunku considered himself the happiest prime minister in the world.

"Unfortunately, if he were around now, he would be the saddest of the lot as the nation has undergone an unimaginable crisis over the last nine months or so," claimed Lim.

"No one in their right mind would want trouble and religious chaos," he said, adding that threatening a recurrence of the May 13, 1969 riots was unacceptable.

Tunku was described as an honest leader and was never hypocritical.

"He was genuinely meant well for the people," said Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

"He never believed that one race was superior to another and when he actually wanted to aid the Muslims, he consulted experts and initiated the Islamic Development Bank.

"Never once did he bring about a situation that threatened the peace of the people, instead, he created a zone of peace - Asean," he said.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was the event's guest of honour, said Tunku was an honest leader.

"He was mature and was able to accept criticism. Which is why during his time no one was arrested and tortured for going against the Prime Minister," claimed Anwar, adding that Tunku shared his ideology with the people by writing about unity in The Star newspaper.

He said that it was the duty of our leaders to "live the true legacy of Tunku and to secure a united Malaysian nation."