PETALING JAYA: Reiterating his call for a reconciliation platform in the form of a new National Consultative Council(NCC), prominent banker Datuk Seri Nazir Razak suggested yesterday that this initiative be established under the supervision of the Council of Rulers.
“We want this platform to be seen as independent as possible, so maybe the Council of Rulers is the right platform to originate the NCC,” he said, adding that it should be supported by the government, political parties, civil society, academics, religious leaders and businessmen.
Nazir, who was speaking to reporters after launching Moderation, a book published by the Star Media Group Bhd, stressed the need to act on this matter instead of waiting for the situation to deteriorate.
“What do you want to do if the signs are there? Why do you want to wait for further deterioration? When you see the signs, it is the best time to act, right? And the negative signs, it is the best time to act rather than wait for more pain,” he said.
Asked if he felt it would be accepted by the government, the CIMB Group Holdings Bhd chairman said others too should be asked this because the collective voice of the people is important.
“It (NCC) is good for Malaysia. I am sure the government and rulers’ council will respond. I am just making a suggestion, that everyone should consider the many ways,” he said.
In his address at the launching ceremony, Nazir, who is the younger brother of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, repeated his call made a year ago that the country needs a platform for truth and reconciliation.
“At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’d like to take the opportunity to repeat what I’ve said ad nauseam — we need a national platform for reconciliation. Maybe even truth and reconciliation.
“And we need to discuss moderately, behind closed doors, the long list of sensitive issues that range from our state of education system, affirmative action, the role of religion in national life, the integrity of the federation, issues of corruption and competitive politics, and of course, rebuilding trust in our institutions,” he said.
The old NCC was set up in January 1970 by Nazir’s and Najib’s father, former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein (who was then the deputy prime minister) after the May 13, 1969 racial riots, in order to strengthen racial harmony, ensure normalcy and restore Parliament.
“Given the obvious similarities to the NCC of 1970, I’ve coined the term NCC2 for this platform. The conditions this time are different,” said Nazir. “Maybe with issues at hand and today’s demands of governing and the governed, the NCC2 should be set up under the auspices of the Council of Rulers.”
The banker said that although Malaysia has done very well economically, the nation was like a “three-legged stool” whereby if the social and political legs wobble, it would not be long before the economic leg starts tottering as well.
“If the economy deteriorates, socio-political pressures rise even further. The reactionary rhetoric gets even more rancid, the blaming the other mindset tightens its grip on society, and the national discourse becomes ever more acrimonious. Socio-political pressures drive away talent and capital, lifebloods of the economy.
“These, in turn, hasten the economic deceleration. It’s a vicious circle, yet one that usually happens behind the protective veil of proactive fiscal and monetary policies by governments,” he added.