INVITATION

You are cordially invited to a Project Soft Launch

17^th December, 2014 (Tuesday)

7pm — 10.30pm

Auditorium, 1^st Floor, KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall,

No.1, Jalan Maharajalela, 50150 Kuala Lumpur.

 From:

Mathanraj Gangadaran

Chair, GBM-Unity in Diversity Project Committee

Programme includes:

Poems recital by Pak Samad, skit, film screening, forum

Organisers:

Tamil Foundation, KOMAS, KLSCAH, IKRAM, Islamic Renaissance Front, GEMA

Light dinner is served. Prior registration is appreciated.

Please reply by 13/12/2013, email to: [email protected],
or call 03-2272 3594 / SMS to 012 320 6959

Event Brief

Soft Launch of “Unity in Diversity”

By Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM)

We are pleased to announce the launch of the program “Unity in Diversity”. This program is the effort by Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM), a coalition of 25 non-governmental organizations as its partner organizations, which was established in 2011. GBM is a non-partisan, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-minded and yet believing in a single better Malaysia for all of us. The organizations are collectively committed to addressing political, civil, economic, social and cultural issues and challenges to build a better Malaysia in the 21st century.

The main aim of this programme is to advocate the theme of “unity in diversity” and “non-discrimination” focusing on ethnicity and race relations in Malaysia. It aims to bring awareness and change of attitudes; provide a safe space for critical discourse and build trust and understanding amongst the targeted audience and finally achieving unity in diversity. The programme partners are Tamil Foundation, KOMAS, KLSCAH, IKRAM, Islamic Renaissance Front and GEMA.

In the recent years, the cry for unity has become louder and louder and many groups are expressing their long suppressed demands for unity among all communities in Malaysia. The reason for this is the seemingly increased feeling of division between ethnicities in Malaysia. Many believe that these divisions had been created for the past 56 years by the political powers for their own political expediencies.  This is further complicated by the divisions in the economic system in Malaysia that is largely based on race classifications.

Malaysians are seeking answers on how achieve greater unity in the country.  At present the slightest miscommunication deed can easily be exploited into a full blown ethnic – religious conflict.  The impunity that certain extremist groups have when they spew racist ideas is a dangerous new trend.

Thus going towards finding the similarities in a multi-culturalistic society to achieve the sense of unity is a timely topic that we should together make ideals and concepts a reality.

Details of Program:

7 pm        :           Arrival / Registration/Light Diner

7.30 pm   :           Skit presentation “The Mask”

7.40 pm   :           Welcoming Speech: Mathanraj Gangadaran, Chair, GBM-Unity Project

                                Poems Recital: A. Samad Said,Patron, GBM-Unity Project

                                Mock Cheque Presentation by Tan Kai Hee, Patron, GBM-Unity Project

7.50 pm   :           Film Screening “Aku Bangsa Malaysia Series”

8.15 pm   :           Forum: Unity In Diversity”

·      Fuad Rahmat, Coordinator, Project Dialogue/Member Islamic Renaissance Front

·      Prof. Dr. Mansor Mohd Noor, Principal Research Fellow, Institute  of Ethnic Studies, University Kebangsaan Malaysia

·      Dr.Toh Kin Woon, Chairperson of Lim Lian Geok Foundation (LLG)

·      Jerald Joseph, Board of Director, Pusat KOMAS

Moderator: Masjaliza Hamzah, Executive Officer, Centre of Independence Journalism