SERDANG: The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah today called for the Muslim community here to strive towards strengthening unity and maintaining solidarity.
"Efforts in the development of the ummah (community) will not succeed if Muslims continue to fight and be divided.
"Remember that all efforts to enhance the socio-economic status of the people, empower Islamic affairs administration, and elevate the Syariah legal institution and judiciary system will not succeed if Muslims continue to fight and remain divided," he said in his royal address at the national-level Maal Hijrah celebration attended by more than 10,000 civil servants and representatives from statutory and private bodies.
Tuanku Abdul Halim also called for Muslims to put their differences aside and prioritise strengthening various aspects of Islam in Malaysia.
"The Muslim community should have the wisdom to manage differences in views in a good manner."
He called for all quarters to avoid disagreements, uphold high morale, be open-minded and tolerant, while respecting and loving one another.
Also present were Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Jamil Khir Baharom, Cabinet Ministers and Chief Secretary to the government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa.
Najib had earlier launched a mobile surau contributed by Bank Rakyat.
Former Chief Justice Tun Dr Ahmad Fairuz Abdul Halim received this year's Tokoh Maal Hijrah exemplary award, while late Datuk Dr Haron Din was named recipient of the special category award.