Selangor: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has expressed hope that the public, particularly the younger generation visiting Dataran Selangor, will read and appreciate the principles of the Rukun Negara, which form the cornerstone of national unity in Malaysia.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, His Royal Highness also called on all Selangor assemblymen to visit the square twice a month to read and understand the meaning of the Rukun Negara as inscribed on the monument plaque. Sultan Sharafuddin specifically addressed Seri Kembangan assemblyman Wong Siew Ki of DAP, and former Selangor DAP exco Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, urging them to visit Dataran Selangor once a week to better understand and appreciate the meaning of the Rukun Negara. This, he emphasized, would foster citizens who respect the sovereignty of the royal institution and uphold courtesy and moral values.

Earlier, Sultan Sharafuddin visited Dataran Selangor to take a closer look at the Rukun Negara monument plaque located in front of the Selangor state flagpole. The plaque was constructed and installed by the Selangor Public Works Department (JKR), complete with benches for visitors, with the entire cost covered by Sultan Sharafuddin.

His Royal Highness highlighted that the construction of this monument plaque serves as a reminder of the history behind the formation of the Rukun Negara. It originated when a state of emergency was declared following the racial riots of May 13, 1969. The National Operations Council, established as the governing body at the time, deliberated with its members to formulate the Rukun Negara as a national ideology aimed at strengthening unity among the races in Malaysia.