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PUTRAJAYA: As the country celebrates its 62nd National Day, Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged the people, regardless of their religion, race and culture, to reflect on how the spirit of goodwill and nationhood has helped Malaysia achieve independence and develop into a successful country.

In his message in conjunction with National Day, the prime minister said Malaysia was built on the values of tolerance, strong character, mutual respect, the willingness to give and share, selfless attitude and readiness to sacrifice for the sake of the country.

Without these values, he said, Malaysia would not grow into a developed country capable of giving its people comfort and progress.

“In fact, as we make further progress and success, we should have greater realisation on the need for these values. If these values, which were adopted by our parents and grandparents, have succeeded in developing this country, surely they are more crucial for us in managing the progress achieved.

“Unfortunately, if we look around us, as we bask in the progress in communications and digitalisation, these noble values have been sidelined and replaced by bad characteristics which are ugly and disgusting,” he said in his message which was broadcast on national television and radio tonight.

Stressing that good values should not be neglected, Mahathir said such negative characteristics would usually rear their ugly head in the face of sensitive issues on race and religion.

He said that in defending their own race and religion, people hurled insults against other races and religions with the use of abusive and harsh words, which would definitely cause anger and anxiety.

“This is very surprising because if we want to uphold our religion and race, we should be displaying good character and use of cultured language. But what has happened is the opposite,” he said.

Mahathir also wondered if the people no longer cared about the future of the country when defending the narrow interests of their own races and religions.

The prime minister said the people should realise how blessed the country is and should do their level best to safeguard the country’s prosperity.

Tracing the country’s history, Mahathir said like other countries, Malaysia was built on the sweat, tears and blood of the people. They had to endure cruelty, oppression, betrayal and insult against race and country.

“Maybe we should look at countries which not too long ago were enjoying riches and prosperity dreamed of by other nations. Today, these countries have been destroyed and their people have become refugees in other countries.

“This is why we should realise that when we demand for the rights and interests of our group and the other side does not want to tolerate it, be considerate or forgive. It can lead to conflict,” he said.

With the theme “Sayangi Malaysiaku: Malaysia Bersih”, the 2019 National Day celebration will be held at Dataran Putrajaya Saturday. The highlight is a parade and a human formation display.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdullah Ahmad Shah joined Cabinet ministers, led by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in a rousing rendition of the 1980s classic Setia, in conjunction with Malaysia’s 62nd Merdeka Day celebrations.

In a music video, posted on the prime minister’s Facebook page, the song begins with federal ministers singing in a recording studio, with Mahathir taking centre stage and flanked by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The song was first popularised on national television channels RTM1 and RTM2 by celebrity Francesca Peter in the 1990s.

At the 38th second of the 3-minute-and-32-second song, the visual switches to montages of the prime minister and his Cabinet in their daily lives.

At 1:47, the Agong makes his appearance and joins Dr Mahathir on the stage, as ministers look on with smiles on their faces.

The Agong lightly taps Muhyiddin on the arm while the latter, together with Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, bow in acknowledgement of the King.

Tuanku Abdullah then joins the rest in song before jointly wishing Malaysians Selamat Menyambut Hari Kebangsaan Malaysia.

SHAH ALAM, Aug 30 — Police have detained two Indian nationals in connection with the murder of a married couple whose bodies were found stuffed in separate suitcases and dumped at two different locations.

The wife’s body, which was stuffed in a brown luggage bag, was found in a drain in Persiaran Kuala Selangor, Section 27 here last Monday by two telecommunication company employees who were inspecting underground cable works at about 5.30 am.

Her husband’s body, also stuffed in a suitcase, was found near the Alam Megah LRT station yesterday.

The woman was identified as Tan Siew Mee, 52, while her husband, Lim Ah Kee, 79.

Shah Alam district police chief ACP Baharudin Mat Taib said the suspects, aged 19 and 24 who were security guards of a shopping centre, were arrested in Subang Jaya and Kota Kemuning yesterday.

Preliminary investigations found that the couple was murdered between midnight last Friday and early Saturday morning at a condominium unit which was rented by the couple in Subang Jaya.

“The suspects, who are siblings, are renting a room at the condominium unit since six months ago. The male victim was believed to have been murdered in the living room of the condominium at about 10pm on Friday, and the wife only knew about it when she returned home about 2 am,” he told a media conference here today.

Baharudin said police believed an argument broke out between Tan and her two tenants after she found out about her husband’s murder, which ended in the two men killing her.

The suspects then took the suitcases which were stuffed with the couple’s bodies on a motorcycle and dumped them into a drain, but at separate locations, in Section 27.

“The police have found the knife, believed to be used in the murder,” he said, adding that the two suspects would be in remand for a week from today to facilitate investigation.

On the bodies of the couple, he said, there were at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang and have yet to be claimed by relatives. — Bernama

PETALING JAYA: Cops have found a second body, believed to be the husband of restaurant manager Tan Siew Mee, 52, who was found in a bag dumped in a drain in Alam Megah here on Monday, The Star Online reported.

The body, believed to be that of Lim Ah Kee @ Lim Kok Hoe, 79, was also found in a bag similar to the one that Tan was found in, police said.

Shah Alam district police chief Baharudin Mat Taib told the daily that they discovered the second body at 5pm today near the Alam Megah LRT station after questioning two suspects they had earlier picked up in Kota Kemuning.

The suspects were foreigners believed to have been Lim’s house tenants.

The couple were assaulted before their bodies were dumped.

KUALA LUMPUR: The minibuses to be reintroduced in the federal capital are not like the non-air-conditioned and pink-coloured minibuses which residents in the federal capital were used to 25 years ago.

Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd CEO Muhammad Yazurin Sallij said the trial period, from Sept 1 to Nov 19, on Route T300, would use new minibuses which are 8m long and equipped with air-conditioning.

The buses, with a capacity for 27 seated passengers, are expected to save travelling time of 15-20 minutes on the trial route between the Bukit Indah Hub and Ampang Point.

They will make 15 trips in a day, he told reporters after a briefing session on the trial service for the Rapid KL minibus here today.

“Now, the buses used are larger in size and difficult to be used in high-density areas with narrow roads, such as in Public Housing Project (PPR) areas.

“Frequently, we are delayed as vehicles are parked on both sides of the roads.

“With the introduction of the minibuses, we hope we can increase and improve services in these areas after all the data has been gathered through a three-month study.”