I would like to wish all Buddhists in Malaysia a very Happy Wesak Day!

The theme for Wesak Day 2011 as announced by the Malaysian Buddhist Association, “Cultivate Loving Kindness, Foster Harmony” is most appropriate indeed.

I believe that if all of us can exhibit our compassion and practise moral conduct in our daily life, we can promote harmony within our family and extend it to our community, society and country. In the context of peace and stability, we can then achieve our national vision to become an advanced nation.

This year’s Wesak Day theme is very much in line with the 1Malaysia spirit because promoting harmony in a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society such as Malaysia is of utmost importance. In fact, this spirit is very much based on the true teaching of every Great Religion of the world.

“1 Malaysia” emphasises the basic principle of unity in diversity, through the values of acceptance, mutual respect and inclusiveness. If all of us can persist, promote and practice this principle, then, we, the moderates, will be able to overwhelm the extreme, radical and opportunistic words and behaviours of a few.

A very important tenet in Buddhism is the belief in karma, causality and predestined relationship meaning inter-relationship amongst all sentient beings, hence the need to help, and not harm one another. This is a basic value that is very much needed in our multi-religious society.

Finally, my prayers and best wishes together with all Buddhists for a peaceful and prosperous future for all Malaysians.

by TAN SRI DR KOH TSU KOON
NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF PARTI GERAKAN RAKYAT MALAYSIA