SHAH ALAM: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has called on the people to consistently honour the sacrifices made by past national heroes in defending the country's sovereignty and peace.
In a post on the Selangor Royal Office's Facebook page on Friday (July 26), Sultan Sharafuddin stressed the importance of this appreciation to prevent the recurrence of colonisation and invasion, especially amidst current times where the country faces various new threats.
His Royal Highness also urged the public to not waste the sacrifices of the nation's heroes by allowing the agendas of enemies who wish to harm the country.
Instead, he called for unity in defending Malaysia's security and peace for a prosperous future as a sovereign nation.
"Their service and sacrifices should serve as an inspiration and motivation for today’s and future generations to understand what has been fought for. Indeed, the hardships endured by our national heroes have shaped the peace Malaysia enjoys today,” Sultan Sharafuddin said in conjunction with the upcoming Warriors' Day celebration on July 31.
His Royal Highness also emphasised the importance of maintaining the peace achieved through the struggles of past heroes and reminded all leaders to ensure that the people remain united.
To this end, Sultan Sharafuddin also said that any acts of provocation, slander, hatred and incitement should be avoided.
Instead, every individual should play a role in fostering a spirit of respect, tolerance, and cooperation to maintain the country’s sovereignty and peace.
At the same time, Sultan Sharafuddin expressed his disappointment with those who forget and do not appreciate the peace achieved through the sacrifices of soldiers who risked their lives for the country, thereby failing to pass on the spirit of struggle to the current generation.
"If we forget and do not appreciate the sacrifices of our national heroes, the history of colonisation and humiliation will repeat itself because we do not strive hard enough to defend the country’s sovereignty and do not love the country wholeheartedly.
"Avoid selfishness driven by the desire for personal wealth accumulation that leads to negligence in defending the country, which ultimately results in the country being governed and controlled by enemies,” His Royal Highness said.
Sultan Sharafuddin emphasised that the country needs heroes who are spirited, innovative and devout, much like the past heroes who believed that defending the nation’s sovereignty depended not only on their skills and bravery but also on divine intervention.
His Royal Highness also reminded the people not to be distracted by frivolous entertainment, false ideologies and a liberal lifestyle that causes them to forget their shared responsibility to defend the country.
Reminding the people that the struggle for independence and its defence was a long and arduous journey, Sultan Sharafuddin said the current generation should be prepared to preserve and maintain the independence inherited from the struggles of past heroes.
"Therefore, the spirit of sacrifice of the past heroes should become the soul and inspiration for the independent generation to face future challenges in order to uphold the dignity and sovereignty of our beloved country,” His Royal Highness said.- Bernama
