PUTRAJAYA: The Consultative Council for People’s Harmony (MPKR) was launched yesterday to replace the functions and responsibilities of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC).
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waytha Moorthy (pix) said MPKR would be a credible advisory mechanism for the government in matters of unity and social well-being in pursuing the national unity agenda.
“This body will function as a completely independent entity without fear or favour, to ensure a truly united Malaysia,“ he said at the launch and presentation of the appointment letters to MPKR council members for the 2019-2022 term.
He said the 14 council members appointed were of various backgrounds, including politicians, academicians, civil servants, as well as representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the media, minority communities and the youth.
“Apart from advising ministers, they also need to consider the best way to overcome the challenges we are facing, to reduce racial tensions with the overall goal of strengthening national unity,“ he said in his speech text read by National Unity and National Integration Department director-general Datuk Baharin Idris.
Waytha Moorthy said efforts to enhance and strengthen national unity has always been the government’s main agenda as racial polarisation and the tendency to view issues from a racial perspective had reached alarming levels.
“Messages centred on racial and religious hatred are often voiced out by irresponsible parties and disseminated through social media all the time,“ he said, adding that the situation would be a major challenge for the new MPKR members to resolve, and that it should be done in a proactive and prudent manner. — Bernama
