MH370, MH17 tragedies united Malaysians - Muhyiddin

The tragic loss of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flights MH370 and MH17 have united the people of Malaysia regardless of race and religion in getting through the difficult moments.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said this spirit would not exist if Malaysians did not have a strong identity and patriotic spirit to stand together when the country was facing such terrible tragedies.

He said it was not easy to maintain the unity and harmony of a multi-racial society.

"However, after 57 years, we have done it and have succeeded, in the name of 1Malaysia," he said in his message on the 57th Merdeka Day tomorrow.

He said despite their differences, Malaysians were united in their diversity and mutual respect, and should not be suspicious in their relations (with each other).

Muhyiddin said Malaysians should be proud that in five decades, the country had gone through many challenges and emerged as a progressive and united nation.

"Trust me, if this united spirit continues, we will go far together with our spirit and patriotism as patriotism," he said.

He added that tolerance and acceptance of our differences were the main ingredients for Malaysia's success in building a nation with a plural society.

At the same time, Muhyiddin said, Malaysians should always remember that the country's independence was not theirs alone but had to be passed on to the younger generation.

"We have not only been entrusted by our freedom fighters to guard the peace of the country but we also have to pass on the true meaning of independence to the next generation," he said.

Muhyiddin said surely Malaysians did not want their descendants to inherit a country that was in upheaval.

"Because just like the freedom fighters in the past, just like us today, and also for the future generations, it is in this nation called Malaysia "Where Love Begins," he said.

"Malaysia: Here, Where Love Begins" is the theme of the Merdeka Day celebrations this year.

Muhyiddin said from a poor country during the time of independence in 1957, Malaysia today was in the group of middle-income countries and was moving towards becoming a developed nation in the next six years.

On Malaysia's success, he said the country's economic growth of 6.4 percent during the second quarter of 2014 was the best among Asean countries of 10 South East nations.

Muhyiddin said the unemployment rate had also been successfully maintained at a low rate of 2.8 percent.

He said these were the results of the success of the economic transformation programmes.

"If these encouraging results are continued in the coming years, God willing (in sya Allah) Malaysia would surely become a developed nation by 2020," he said.