::ACTIVITIES::

Proposal for the Implementation of the Malaysia : Nation of Character Project

The goal of the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project is to help bring about a positive change in all aspects of Malaysian society of such significance that the attention of the world’s nations is drawn to Malaysia as an example of what a good and right society should be and how that idealized society may be achieved.  

Although the basic philosophy behind the project is quite simple (NOTE: see appendix A), it is obvious that such a momentous task will require some fairly sophisticated planning to bring into fruition. Additionally, the pace of the plan’s implementation must be given careful consideration. It should unfold as quickly as possible for the societal need is very great, but no step should ever be so large or taken in such haste that it endangers the continued progression toward the desired goal. If I, at this early moment, were to make a prediction as to how long it might likely be until the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project showed results at a national level so positive that the world’s attention was attracted, I would say between two and three years maximum. Of course, for Malaysia to receive the ultimate benefit which this positive social change plan could offer it would need to be continued indefinitely so that there is never a regression to previously existing levels of negative behavior.

The first natural step in the unfolding of this plan for positive social development is to bring the great opportunities offered by this plan to the attention of the people of Malaysia . The second step is to win the hearts and the minds of the people over to this plan until they feel it is something they want very much, and expect it to succeed. The third step is to get the people to understand that the program actually belongs to them, and to motivate them to want to be part of the implementation of this program for positive social change. And, the final step is the actual implementation of the positive social change plan. These steps should not be seen as mutually exclusive, as any particular activity may result in concurrent progress at all levels.

The following is a brief explanation of each of the presently proposed activities for the initial phase of the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project. There may well be more activities carried out during the initial implementation phase, but the following have already been planned and/or are already in the formative stages. The order in which these activities are presented is not necessarily the order in which they will finally be implemented. (NOTE: see appendices B, C, D and E for further details regarding the planned activities)

A.    Produce a book to offer parents of any religion an effective method of teaching the LPPKN 25 values to their children (Note: We expect this book to be the key to offering parents a simple to understand and easily practiced program which if undertaken would virtually guarantee their children would acquire the positive character traits necessary for success and happiness in life. We plan that by the time of this book’s launch the MNOC Project will have already gained sufficiently wide public interest, and have shown itself to be notably effective as a positive social influence, that at the book launch the Prime Minister will be publicly announcing an ongoing government sponsored activity that will bring great benefits to all the people of Malaysia, and as such he could easily justify recommending that every family in Malaysia should have a copy of this values education parenting book.)

B.     Produce a similar book to offer Muslim parents an effective method of teaching the LPPKN 25 values to their children. (Note: Same as ‘A’ above, but written with an emphasis on the special role and responsibility of Muslims in this positive social change program.)

C.    Produce a simple (ABC’s style) picture book depicting the LPPKN 25 values for young children. (This book is to serve as a simple and fun introduction for very young children to the twenty-five values identified by LPPKN as necessary for the development of good character, and offer a firm basis for understanding the importance of these values in later life.)

D.    Produce a multimedia training video to be used by non-professional facilitators in local communities to teach parents the use of effective child rearing techniques based on the most modern knowledge of social influence. (Note: This training video will be made available for use by facilitators identified in local communities to enable those relatively untrained persons to effectively assist others in their community to understand and practice modern psychological techniques for effective parenting and positive social change strategies.)

E.      Produce a 13 week series of partially animated television programs showing in a fun, informative and motivational manner an overview of the socially positive, scientifically accurate world view and the laws of learning by which human beings develop which are necessary for the creation of a good and right society. (Note: This series of half hour television programs will serve as the initial wide public introduction to the broad scientific, social, philosophical, and spiritual basis upon which the MNOC Project is based. It will need to be heavily publicized before airing, and the public encouraged to view the whole series. Four segments will cover the socially positive, scientifically accurate world view, four segments will cover the laws of learning, with four segments on effective parenting techniques, and a concluding ‘special’ on how modern science has reached a point where it is irrefutably supportive of the truth of God’s existence. These segments will contain as much animation as time and resources allow.)

F.     Produce an ongoing weekly children’s television program, loosely based on the ‘ Sesame Street ’ format, showing the children of Malaysia learning about, enjoying, and practicing the LPPKN 25 values. (Note: We feel that such a children’s television program offers an ideal opportunity not only for the wide dissemination of ideas and activities for the successful implementation of the MNOC Project, but it also offers the opportunity to unify the children of Malaysia behind this opportunity for positive social change regardless of their place of residence or degree of isolation. It is planned as part of this programming to have a team of roving reporters who will offer young people all over Malaysia the opportunity to be seen and recognized for their good efforts on behalf of self-improvement, improvement of the society around them, and general improvement of the world.)

G.    Develop a training program and training materials to create a pool of trainers able to train other trainers and facilitators to take the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project to communities throughout the country. (Note we expect this to naturally arise out of the MNOC Model School Project and its associated activities. This step is critical to the successful dissemination of the MNOC Project to local communities throughout Malaysia. We expect these materials to be developed by experienced educators who will be attracted to all the many benefits offered to society by the MNOC Project.)

H.    Present easy to understand programs about the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project in kampungs, villages and rural areas. (This will be one of the keys to the effective spread of the MNOC Project. It is planned to eventually have trained facilitators in mobile education centers traveling to all kampungs, villages and rural areas throughout Malaysia to provide a personal introduction for local parents to the MNOC Project, to motivate parents to learn about the program, to offer simple educational materials, and to assist the parents in setting up local activities to facilitate the implementation of the positive social change program. It is planned to set up a committee made up of representatives of all races and religions to plan the most effective ways in which this nationwide implementation could be carried out.)

I.        Develop an interactive website to offer the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project over the internet. (Note: We will develop an interesting, informative and interactive website to assist in the promotion of the MNOC Project, the dissemination of MNOC materials, and offering training in techniques of effective parenting. This website will also probably be our first introduction to the world outside Malaysia of the plans we have for the creation of a society so good and right that it would serve as a model for the world. The site will need to be heavily promoted.)

J.       Advertise the coming Malaysia: Nation of Character Project through a national campaign on radio, television and the print media. (Note: We will need to create an advertising campaign so effective that virtually no person in Malaysia remains unaware of the MNOC Project, that virtually no one is not sympathetic to the goals of the project, that most feel comfortable with the methods of the project, and most feel optimistic as to the potential for success of the project.)

K.    Develop and implement aspects of the “Malaysia: Nation of Character” initiative, in a school to provide a working model to showcase the effective use of this program. (Note: As good as the MNOC Project might sound, nothing is ever so effective in ‘selling’ a good idea to the wider public as showing that idea being successfully put into practice. We will implement this overall plan as a demonstration project, where one school will become the MNOC Model School Project. We will train educational professionals to themselves become trainers of teachers, parents, and children so that they are able to use the knowledge and techniques upon which the MNOC Project is based to effectively integrate the 25 values identified by LPPKN into all aspects of their lives. Additionally, we will initiate research projects to objectively showcase the effectiveness of the MNOC Project in bringing about wide ranging positive social and academic change. As soon as significant positive change can be seen in this model school environment, we will invite interested politicians, educators and media representatives to come view the program’s successful implementation with the goal of persuading them to use their positions and influence to assist in the nationwide dissemination of the MNOC Project.)

L.     Get education and psychology departments in local universities to initiate research projects in the model school. (Note: For a number of reasons besides program assessment, such as credibility, and an ongoing source of researchers, trainers and interns we want to develop as good a relationship as possible with the appropriate departments in the institutions of higher learning as we encourage their involvement in the wide implementation of the MNOC Project.)

M.   Develop an assessment plan and psychometric tools to provide objective data in an evaluation of the success of the “Malaysia: Nation of Character” initiative in its various areas of application. (Note: To give the MNOC Project its greatest credibility, particularly among national and international academic circles, we will need to show proof of the program’s effectiveness through psychologically valid and statistically sound research which will be published in professional journals, and presented at educational and psychological conferences and seminars.)

N.    Publication of a simple manual on effective parenting as an early step in making the public aware of the future plans of Malaysia: Nation of Character Project(written in Bahasa Melayu). (Note: We want to offer something influential, informational and useful as soon as possible to begin educating the public about, and attracting the public to the plans of the MNOC Project. We feel a simply written booklet to assist parents in raising their children which also gives a brief overview of the ideas behind the program, with somewhat prestigious authorship, would be a good first introduction.)

O.    Design an attractive and immediately recognizable logo for the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project. (Note: We will attempt to design an immediately identifiably logo so that all activities, promotion, and products of the MNOC Project are easily recognizable).

P.     Identify a ‘catchy’ short slogan for the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project. (We will endeavour to find a short slogan that is easily remembered, appealing, and conveys the overall emphasis of the MNOC Project.)

Q.    Create a ‘mascot’ for the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project. (Note: We will strive to find an appealing mascot, which would be as effective as Olympic mascots have been, to promote the MNOC Project and add to the successful marketing of the MNOC product line.)

R.    Get a theme song written for the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project. (Note: We plan the song would be sung by a prominent Malaysian singer and/or a select group of Malaysian children of different races. The children would sing the song in four languages, Bahasa Malayu, Chinese dialect, Tamil, and English. We will try to have the song written by someone well known, perhaps Yusuf “Cat Stevens” Islam. If a sufficiently ‘catchy’ chorus can be included it could end up on the lips and in the minds of millions of Malaysians.)

S.     Promote the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project through a product line designed to be desirable for kids. (Note: The purpose of the product line is to develop wide recognition for the MNOC Project and its symbols. This product line will include posters, T-shirts, caps, pens, pencils, pencil boxes, bags, lunch boxes, file folders, stationary, bookmarks, key chains, stickers, notebooks, and other appropriate items. We will provide the ideas and artwork for the product line, but the manufacture and marketing will be done by private manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. We will attempt to create a product line that is very desirable for children in particular.)

T.     Hold seminars for relevant university departments and government agencies. (Note: This can serve as an early introduction to the goals and plans of the MNOC Project to those who might later have some input into the desirability and feasibility of the program, and will generate some significant interest in the progress of the positive social change plan.)

U.    Exhibits at shopping complexes and other appropriate public venues. (Note: This is a fairly simple and relatively inexpensive way to generate a lot of public interest in the MNOC Project, and will provide an excellent means of initially making the product line attractive. We will prepare a multimedia presentation for use in the exhibits, along with leaflets and brochures detailing the goals and methods of the MNOC Project.)

V.    Hold a nationwide drawing, poster, slogan and short story contest for school children. (Note: This is an excellent way to make virtually all the children of Malaysia aware of the MNOC Project, involve them in the successful implementation of the program, and allow them to begin viewing the wide ranging plan for positive social change as their own, besides providing artwork, slogans and stories for the various books and other materials developed to facilitate the promotion and dissemination of the MNOC Project.

W.  Produce a newsletter for periodic distribution to schools. (Note: This would provide an effective way to keep children all over Malaysia up to date about the activities of the MNOC Project, allow the spread of good ideas about the program’s implementation, and provide an avenue for rewarding particularly successful individuals or activities.)

X.    Get famous Malaysian singers and actors to promote the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project. (Note: Rightly or wrongly these are people who have a significant influence on they youth of any nation. We would like to harness that influence and focus it in positive directions. We will encourage their interest and participation in the successful implementation of the MNOC Project.)

Y.    Get politicians from all political parties to give public support to the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project. (Note: Although the MNOC Project comes indirectly from an initiative of our Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir, and the Malaysian government - the Prime Minister should be fully recognized and greatly appreciated for his farsightedness in recognizing this dire need and fast action to rectify the problem - this plan can only achieve the fullness of its potential effectiveness if it is seen to truly be a program of positive social change belonging to all the people of Malaysia. With this in mind, we will seek to have the Prime Minister share the launch of the MNOC Project with the leaders of all parties regardless of their race or political leanings. In this way there could be virtually no one in Malaysia who could find any reason not to desire and participate in this momentous undertaking.)

Z.     Request that the Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir publicly launch the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project at the most appropriate moment and seek to maximize public exposure of this launch. (Note: See ‘Y’ above.)  

All of the above steps are in fact things that are well within our potential to do, they are definitely achievable. It is my belief, a belief that I could not imagine being more certain of, that if all of the above steps are carried out with sincere dedication then we can feel confident that the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project will achieve the most grand of our stated goals – that the people of Malaysia will be seen as having created such a good and right society that it will serve as a model of social development for the rest of the world. So robust is the technological and philosophical basis underlying the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project, that any close approximation in carrying out each of the 26 steps outlined above will suffice to bring this program of positive social change to the fullness of its desired goal.  

We have before us an opportunity to have a positive impact of great significance upon not only Malaysian society but upon the whole world. If carried out fully, with enthusiasm and dedication, this project can be the beginning of a new era in human history. It is now that we finally have the opportunity to overcome the influences of evil and allow goodness to prevail as the defining characteristic of human nature. For those who truly want to offer our children, and all the world’s children, a future that is kind, loving, and positive this is the moment for which we have so long only dreamed. We must take this opportunity that now presents itself, and we must do all that is required of us to ensure the success of the Malaysia: Nation of Character Project in its entirety. This is the most pleasing and rewarding task that I can imagine being allowed to bring into reality, it is indeed a great Blessing from Allah.  

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Important messages to send through daily contact with your child:

Share experiences and goals on effort, working hard, planning ahead. Establish realistic, consistent family rules for work around the house to promote healthy routines and a sense of responsibility. Encourage children to think about the future, including dreaming, exploring options ( via real and virtual field trips), sacrifice.

::ACTIVITIES::