Nation's identity based on the diversity of its people must be preserved - Ewon

1 February 2024

By Wartawan Nabalu News

TANJUNG MALIM: Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon Benedick stated that the nation's identity, which is based on the diversity of its people, must be respected, empowered, and preserved.

"Malaysia has long been known as a country of diverse ethnicities, religions, languages, cultures, and customs. The diversity of our people should be a strength of the nation and must be preserved to prevent us from falling into identity politics.

"Hence, educational institutions such as university campuses play a significant role in creating an environment of respect, tolerance, and cooperation, especially among their students. We not only want to produce quality graduates but also graduates who are capable of harnessing the diversity of our people as a strength in nation-building," he said.

Ewon made these remarks during his speech at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR) here today.

"UPSI has its own strength because out of approximately 30,000 students here, around 7,000 of them are from Sabah and Sarawak. This can foster a culture of mutual respect, tolerance, and cooperation among the students.

"I will continue to support initiatives that empower and uplift the diversity of our nation, including the organisation of programmes in educational campuses and other institutions.'

"The MoU between UPSI and YBR today is also a recognition by the government and agencies of the importance of ethnic languages and can strengthen the sense of belonging among the diverse communities in our country. As a result, the patriotic spirit within ethnic communities grows stronger as they are valued and empowered by the government," he said.