KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Territory Day is celebrated on Feb 1 every year, but many still do not know why Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya are designated as Federal Territories.
Kuala Lumpur, formerly part of Selangor, become a federal territory on Feb 1, 1974, when the then Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, handed it over to the federal government with the aim of making it the federal capital.
Labuan and Putrajaya became federal territories in 1984 and 2001, respectively.
These three territories are administered by the Federal Territories Ministry, through the respective local government authorities, namely Kuala Lumpur City Hall for Kuala Lumpur, Labuan Corporation for Labuan and Putrajaya Corporation for Putrajaya.
Under KWP, various developments, involving provision of infrastructure and other facilities, have been implemented in the three territories as catalyst for the country’s progress.
Professor Dr Zaid Ahmad, of the Department of Nationhood and Civilisation Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), said many people still do not understand the importance of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya as federal territories.
“.. when these territories are handed over to the (central) government, it means more efficient and smooth development process,” he told Bernama.
The move, he said, also promotes unity and stimulates economic growth between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak.
However, he said, the sense of belonging and pride of being residents of the federal territories is still lacking among some Malaysians, despite the Federal Territories Dayto be celebrated for the 16th year tomorrow.
“The spirit of parochialism is still strong among the folks in the federal territories because, like in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, most of them are migrants, they are not born and raised there, the place is not their homeland,” he added.
However, he said the phenomenon could be changed by instilling the spirit of patriotism among children when they are still in pre-school.
“Those born and reside in the federal territories should be taught and instilled love for the place they live in,” he added.
To instil that spirit of patriotism, he expressed the need to conserve and preserve the country’s heritage and history.
Meanwhile, Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad hoped that the 29 programmes outlined for the 2020 Federal Territories Day would continue to be the key drivers to strengthen unity among the multi-racial community in the federal territories.
“We have to remember when the federal territories were set up, because we want them to be a platform to unite the people in the peninsula and Borneo.
“This is a small scale effort to create a sense of unity and togetherness,” he said, and Love my Territory this year has been an ongoing theme so we feel that unity is truly achieved,“ he said and called on residents in the federal territories to make their respective territories more prosperous and sustainable. — Bernama
