LETTERS: The Malaysia Madani concept contains six values: creativity and innovation, confidence, sustainability, wellbeing, respect and courtesy.
I wish to share my take on respect and courtesy, and the importance of being kind. In my book, a learned person is not educated without showing courtesy.
Wanting to be right and proving others wrong has led to petty quarrels among family members, relatives, strangers, neighbours and co-workers.
This happens when courtesy is lacking on both sides. If I can offer one advice, it is "just be kind".
Kindness is the greatest blessing anyone could give or receive, and people are appreciated and remembered more for their kindness than any other virtue.
We can be successful by being happy, and making others happy, with respect, courtesy and kindness showing the way.
With these virtues, there is no need for sloganeering or espousing philosophy, which have done little in shaping our society or building our nation.
A good example is those who throng places of worship but are not god-fearing.
This is evident among greedy politicians who indulge in corruption, and practise racism to gain popularity and power, but unfortunately, they are also the least bothered about the hereafter.
Y.S. CHAN
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
