KUCHING: The farsighted vision of the nation's founding fathers laid the foundation for Malaysia to be formed and to develop, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said Malaysians should not forget the foresight of past leaders, who sought peace and the people's wellbeing amid regional and geopolitical tensions at the time.
"In the 1960s, the South-East Asian region was caught up in the power struggles between the United States and the Soviet Union, with fears of the domino effect of communism.
"We were also facing threats from Indonesia at that time.
"Our founding leaders under Tunku Abdul Rahman understood that we must be strong and work together to maintain our security and build for the future," he said at a dinner on Thursday (Sept 11) night in conjunction with his official visit to Sarawak.
Anwar said the nation's forefathers included Sarawak leaders like Tun Jugah Barieng and Tun Abang Openg Abang Sapiee.
He said although they were not highly educated, they were sincere in fighting for independence, loved the people and had a vision for the future.
"They had the ability to look far ahead even though the country was still backward and undeveloped, with no colleges and poor road connections.
"Their foresight is admirable. And now we inherit their legacy and contributions," he said.
Anwar called on Malaysians to emulate their spirit of togetherness and mutual trust, particularly in celebrating Malaysia Day on Sept 16.
He said the founding leaders' friendship and cooperation showed that issues among Malaysians could be resolved amicably.
"Malaysia has been able to achieve rapid growth over the years because of our peace and stability," he added.
Anwar also praised Sarawak's spirit of cooperation and close ties with the Federal Government.
He urged Sarawak to preserve its unity and harmony to ensure continued progress in new technology and talent development.
"Sarawak's potential to be a green energy hub in Asean is widely recognised.
"If we steer clear of corruption and focus on good policies and practices, we can achieve Sarawak's vast potential for the benefit of the people," he said.
