KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — The Rukun Negara Club will be expanded to schools across the country, including private schools, to strengthen efforts to inculcate a spirit of unity among the younger generation.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said that the Rukun Negara Club plays an important role in introducing and applying the philosophy of the five principles contained in the Rukun Negara.

She said that it was important that the club, in which there are currently over 6,000 schools nationwide, be expanded, so that the ideology and principles of the Rukun Negara philosophy can be understood and appreciated by students.

“The strength of this country is not only seen from the physical aspect, but the resilience of the soul and spirit of its people should also be taken into account. This inner self should be nurtured through unity, and Rukun Negara should be a national ideology which lifts the essential being of our children.

“The Rukun Negara Club will be the leader of unity in schools. We will expand it. Information will be provided from time to time. It aims to ensure that the unity programme runs in line with the wishes of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Unity,” she said.

Fadhlina said this at the launch of the 2023 Rukun Negara Exploratory programme at the school level, at the Seri Bintang Complex, here today.

The programme aimed to increase the knowledge, understanding, appreciation and practice of Rukun Negara in schools, and make it part of their attitudes and behaviour to strengthen their identity and patriotism for the country.

It is part of the “Kembara Perpaduan Malaysia Madani” in the “Semarak Kenegaraan” Cluster initiative.

In the meantime, Fadhlina reminded educators that they play a role in fostering the spirit of unity among the people by educating the younger generation, starting from school.

“Teachers are agents of unity...we can see how teachers communicate their wishes, dreams and determination on how unity should be instilled in schools,” she said.

Meanwhile, Minister of National Unity, Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, who was also present at today’s ceremony, expressed hope that private schools will cooperate in expanding the Rukun Negara Club.

“At the school level, there are already 6,849 Rukun Negara Clubs; we hope they will be established in all schools. We hope private schools will also participate in making this unity programme a success,” he said. — Bernama