Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor urged all state assemblymen to visit Dataran Selangor twice a month to read and reflect on the Rukun Negara plaque installed there, emphasizing the need to uphold national unity through its principles [1, 2, 3]. He specifically asked DAP Seri Kembangan assemblyman Wong Siew Ki and former DAP state executive councillor Ronnie Liu to visit weekly to better understand the Rukun Negara and become courteous citizens who respect the monarchy [1, 2, 3, 4].
The Sultan personally funded the Rukun Negara monument plaque and benches at Dataran Selangor, with construction carried out by the Selangor Public Works Department [2, 3]. The Rukun Negara was introduced after the 1969 May 13 racial riots to promote unity and social cohesion in Malaysia [3, 5].
Responding to the Sultan’s call, Ronnie Liu visited Dataran Selangor to deeply reflect on the Rukun Negara. He stressed the importance of fully internalizing the principles and respecting the Constitution, rule of law, monarchy, and national unity. He said, “What truly stabilises a nation is civilisation, institutions, rule of law, mutual respect, and social unity” [6, 7, 8, 4, 5]. Liu added that politics should move away from hatred, emotion, and division toward “maturity, rationality, respect and the future of the country” [6, 4, 5].
Seri Kembangan assemblyman Wong Siew Ki pledged to uphold the Rukun Negara principles consistently in serving the people [9].
The Sultan’s call came amid controversy over a proposed large-scale pig farming project in Selangor, which he does not consent to due to environmental and public concerns [2, 4]. Ronnie Liu symbolized his respect for the Constitution and the nation’s foundational principles by naming his son Zun Xian [6, 4].
On May 19, the Sultan publicly called on assemblymen, especially Wong and Liu, to visit Dataran Selangor to engage with the Rukun Negara plaque regularly [2]. On the same day, Liu responded with his visit and urged all politicians to do the same [5], while Wong pledged ongoing commitment to the principles [9].
