Rukun Negara

The Rukun Negara is the Malaysian declaration of national philosophy instituted by royal proclamation on merdeka day 1970, in reaction to a serious race riot known as the May 13 Incident which occurred in 1969. The incident proved at that time that Malaysian racial balance and stability was fragile at best. Immediately thereafter, the Malaysian government sought ways to foster unity among Malaysians. One of the methods used to encourage unity is the Rukun negara.

The word Rukun negara can refer to the whole declaration, the words after the preamble (beginning Maka kami...) or the five principles alone.

Perisytiharan

Bahawasanya negara kita Malaysia mendukung cita-cita hendak:

• Mencapai perpaduan yang lebih erat dalam kalangan seluruh masyarakatnya
• Memelihara cara hidup demokratik
• Mencipta satu masyarakat yang adil di mana kemakmuran negara akan dapat dinikmati secara adil dan saksama
• Menjamin satu cara liberal terhadap tradisi-tradisi kebudayaannya yang kaya dan berbagai-bagai corak
• Membina satu masyarakat progresif yang akan menggunakan sains dan teknologi moden

Ikrar

Maka kami rakyat Malaysia berikrar akan menumpukan seluruh tenaga dan usaha kami untuk mencapai cita-cita tersebut berdasarkan atas prinsip-prinsip yang berikut:

• Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan
• Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara
• Keluhuran Perlembagaan
• Kedaulatan Undang-undang
• Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan

English translate

Our nation, Malaysia, is being dedicated to:

• Achieving a greater unity of all her people;
• Maintaining a democratic way of life;
• Creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared;
• Ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural tradition;
• and building a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology.

We, the people of Malaysia, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends, guided by these principles:

• BELIEF IN GOD
• LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
• UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION
• SOVEREIGNTY OF THE LAW, and
• GOOD BEHAVIOR AND MORALITY

Resources from Malaysian Website