KUALA LUMPUR – Former Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu said the Rukun Negara should serve as a guiding framework for Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) and its members as the party seeks to establish itself as a non-racial political platform.
He said political leaders, administrators and ministers must uphold the principles of the national philosophy, which he described as essential to Malaysia’s future.
“I, for one, am actually a believer of Rukun Negara. Because it is a product of May 13th.”
“So our forefathers at that time, they came up based on the principles of Indonesia. So you look at Rukun Negara. Just like I said, if all the administrators, leaders, ministers, prime ministers, adhere to the Rukun Negara, we cannot go wrong,” he said during a press conference in Kuchai Lama today.
Meanwhile, PBM president Datuk Larry Sng Wei Yik said the party was positioning itself as a non-racial organisation with members and supporters from diverse backgrounds.
He said PBM was not focusing on race-based politics, but instead intended to address issues affecting Malaysians as a whole.
“So I think there are definitely Malay supporters here. But the thing is, at the same time, as Ronnie mentioned earlier, we are trying to position ourselves as a non-racial. So as a result, we are playing down less on the issue of race,” he said.
Sng said PBM hoped to replicate his own political experience in Julau, Sarawak, where he represents a constituency dominated by bumiputera voters despite being Chinese.
“If you look at my constituency, for instance, I am a Chinese, but I represent a constituency which has 95% of bumiputera. So obviously the concentration wasn’t raised. And likewise, we hope to replicate this in other areas across the country,” he added.
However, he acknowledged that shifting political attitudes would require time and could not happen immediately.
“Not to say it’s going to be a transformation overnight. Definitely it’s not overnight. It will take time.”
Sng said PBM would focus on issues that transcend racial boundaries in an effort to attract support from Malaysians of different backgrounds.
“But as long as we start talking about issues that are not based on specific races per se, I think we can slowly convince the majority of liberal-minded Malaysians who are from different racial backgrounds to subscribe to our ideals,” he said, adding that governance would remain a key priority for the party.
Liu, who recently returned to politics by joining PBM, said the party’s willingness to engage with all political parties was among the factors that attracted him.
“PDM has the advantage that we are willing to speak to every party. That’s our advantage.”
“We may not be able to come up with coalitions, but we certainly will have multi-electoral pacts with the parties,” he said.
He said PBM viewed other political parties as rivals rather than enemies, but stressed that the party would not abandon its principles in pursuit of political power.
Liu said PBM provided a platform for him to continue advocating issues such as local government reform, governance and national development.
Sng said the party would also welcome Malaysians from all backgrounds, particularly young people and professionals, to join its ranks.
“We will openly invite all, every young people, people from all walks of life, whether professional or non-professional, to join the party.”
He said PBM’s immediate task was to strengthen its grassroots network and expand its organisational structure nationwide.
In June, Liu announced plans to produce T-shirts featuring the five principles of the Rukun Negara after the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, urged politicians to visit the Rukun Negara monument.
Speaking on a Scoop Insight episode hosted by News Editor A. Azim Idris and Editor-in-Chief Terence Fernandez, Liu said he was not offended by the Sultan’s remarks and instead viewed them as a reminder of the importance of the national principles.
“That’s why I go ahead to want to do a T-shirt. I want to print all the five principles on the T-shirt,” he said, adding that the designs would be made available online in two variations.
He described the Rukun Negara as a fundamental pillar in maintaining national stability and harmony.
“I agree with Tuanku that the Rukun Negara is the principles, the cornerstone, some may even argue it’s the foundation for a stable and peaceful and harmonious society. That’s the foundation,” Liu said.
He also urged politicians and members of the public to understand and practise the values embedded in the Rukun Negara.
“All politicians or even non-politicians should read and understand and actually practise the values of Rukun Negara. To me, to go there every week and every now and then, okay, is not a big issue. I think all of us should go,” he said.
Liu later followed the Sultan’s advice by visiting Dataran Selangor earlier today to “reflect on the Rukun Negara”.
The visit followed the Sultan’s wider initiative to promote national unity and civic awareness through the installation of a Rukun Negara Monument Plaque and visitor benches at Dataran Selangor, opposite the state flagpole.
The monument, funded personally by the Sultan, was established to encourage Malaysians to revisit and internalise the principles of the national philosophy.
The Sultan has encouraged members of the public, including elected representatives, to visit the site at least twice a month. He also advised Liu and Seri Kembangan assemblywoman Wong Siew Ki to make weekly visits as a way of upholding the Rukun Negara, showing respect for the Royal institution, and maintaining courtesy and moral responsibility. – August 9, 2026