INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU

KEMENTERIAN PENDIDIKAN MALAYSIA

KAMPUS TEMENGGONG IBRAHIM
JOHOR
GEEC 1052
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH
TASK 1 / GROUP DISCUSSION

Nama : LAW
YIENG LING
No. KP : 031229-13-0674
Angka Giliran : 2022122310088

Nama : NGAI QIU YAN

No. KP : 030807-07-0606
Angka Giliran : 2022122310092

Nama : ONG ZHI HONG

No. KP : 030902-14-1329
Angka Giliran : 2022122310093

Semester : PPISMP
Ambilan : JUN 2022
Opsyen : PENDIDIKAN JASMANI
Nama Pensyarah : DR. NORAISHAH GOH BINTI ABDULLAH
Tarikh Hantar : 29 SEPTEMBER 2022

Soalan : TUGASAN 1
 PENGAKUAN PELAJAR
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Tandatangan Pelajar:Tarikh: 29 September 2022 Tandatangan Pelajar:Tarikh: 29 September 2022

Tandatangan Pelajar:Tarikh: 29 September 2022

PEMERIKSA MODERATOR
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 INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU KAMPUS TEMENGGONG IBRAHIM
BORANG MAKLUM BALAS KERJA KURSUS (PROJEK/ AMALI)

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tangan pelajar

..............................................
( LAW YIENG LING )

Tarikh: 29 September 2022

*Sila potong yang tidak berkenaan
 INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU KAMPUS TEMENGGONG IBRAHIM
BORANG MAKLUM BALAS KERJA KURSUS (PROJEK/ AMALI)

PEMERIKSA
Kekuatan:

Aspek yang perlu di perbaiki:

MODERATOR
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Saya* faham dan bersetuju/ tidak bersetuju dengan maklum balas yang di berikan oleh pensyarah Tanda

tangan pelajar

..............................................
( NGAI QIU YAN )

Tarikh: 29 September 2022

*Sila potong yang tidak berkenaan
 INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU KAMPUS TEMENGGONG IBRAHIM
BORANG MAKLUM BALAS KERJA KURSUS (PROJEK/ AMALI)

PEMERIKSA
Kekuatan:

Aspek yang perlu di perbaiki:

MODERATOR
Kekuatan:

Aspek yang perlu di perbaiki:

Tanda tangan Pemeriksa: Tanda tangan Moderator:

Tarikh: Tarikh:

Pengesahan pelajar terhadap maklum balas yang di berikan pensyarah:

Saya* faham dan bersetuju/ tidak bersetuju dengan maklum balas yang di berikan oleh pensyarah Tanda

tangan pelajar

..............................................
( ONG ZHI HONG )

Tarikh: 29 September 2022

*Sila potong yang tidak berkenaan
LAW YIENG LING: Hello, I notice that both of you are also panel members of the webinar!

NGAI QIU YAN: Yeah! We are also one of the members of this webinar. Do you know that the quality of
being a good citizen has become a hot topic in organising this webinar?

ONG ZHI HONG: Yes, I also heard it before. How about we take this chance to talk about the quality of
being a good citizen and decide which is the most important quality?

LAW YIENG LING: Of course can! I cannot wait to discuss this topic!

NGAI QIU YAN: Me too, Zhi Hong, what is your opinion about a good citizen?

ONG ZHI HONG: In my opinion, a good citizen is one who follows the rules and regulations of the
constitutions of the nation. Whenever we hear the word good citizens almost all people feel relief in their
hearts. A good citizen always gets respect from other people too. A good citizen always has some basic
and rare qualities of being a good citizen. What does it really mean to be a good citizen? This is a
question that has been debated for many years, but the answer remains unclear.

NGAI QIU YAN: I agree with you. A good citizen is a person who understands and fulfils their rights and
duties within their society and normally is the type of person who works hard, helps others, and respects
the law. However, when reading newspapers or listening to the radio or watching TV, often it is the
activities of bad citizens that are publicised.

LAW YIENG LING: Oh, I see! There are really many activities of bad citizens. For example, bullying.
There is very sad news. In 2017, a case of bullying occurred at a boarding school in Kapit, Sarawak.
Jackson Nuing Awe is a victim of bullying, and he is a Year 1 student. He was beaten to death by a Year
6 student. This is very sad and disappointing because the students are the hope of the nation’s Future.
News about bullying in Malaysia often happens now. Kids who are bullied can experience negative
physical, social, emotional, academic, and mental health issues. Kids who bully others can also engage in
violent and other risky behaviours into adulthood. Therefore, the activity of bad citizens really needs to be
stopped to protect other citizens.

NGAI QIU YAN: I feel very sad hearing this incident happen on the pillar of our country. In addition, the
increasing crime rate in Malaysia also shows that society nowadays is not equipped with good qualities to
be a good citizen. This situation will happen because people have become more selfish and egoistic
compared to the past. In the past, people were willing to lend a helping hand to each other no matter the
races and cultures. Nevertheless, citizens today do not even greet the neighbours that live in the same
community. The helpful characteristics have been forgotten by the people today. This is because some of
the crimes such as scams usually deceive others for their sympathy and this has caused the individuals
don’t believe in one person easily.

ONG ZHI HONG: There are many factors that can make this country not peaceful. One of the factors is
fraud. There are more and more scams now, and we can often see cases of people being defrauded of
money on TV or social platforms. And people don't care about things that don't concern themselves, so
they may be deceived. And these scams are against the law, these people don't follow the law, and they
destroy the balance of the country. And they will use people's kindness to deceive the public. This has
also led to people no longer trusting people easily. To give an example, someone will let the old man
pretend to be poor and cheat money on the street.

NGAI QIU YAN: That’s why we want to discuss this topic today! Actually, many of us have accidentally
become bad citizens. People today will break the law for self-interest even if they know they are breaking
the law. For example, when a person is caught by the police because of using their phone while driving,
they always covertly bribe the police to not issue a fine on them. This situation is getting more serious
recently. The appearance of bad citizens threatens to plunge our country into chaos. More and more
crime cases in our country have given citizens the creeps. Therefore, to avoid this condition becoming
worse, a member of the society must equip themselves with several qualities.
LAW YIENG LING: I agree with you, Qiu Yan. In my opinion, technology has changed everything in
modern society. With the development of technology, technology has changed the way individuals
communicate and limits the number of face-to-face conversations. For example, some fear technology
affects communication by hindering our ability to build relationships with clients and will lead to brands
becoming faceless entities. This causes the relationship between people to become distant. People will
become selfish and bad citizens.

ONG ZHI HONG: I agree with Yieng Ling. This is because in recent years, citizenship has been a much-
debated topic in political and social circles. The term “good citizen” is usually defined as being civic
minded and knowing the rights and obligations of citizenship. Citizenship lessons are typically taken by
children when they are in grade school. But recent research has shown that adults should also receive
the lessons. Adults who take these lessons are more likely to be civically engaged in their community. In
a nutshell, being a good citizen is more than just following the law. It is about being a good person, which
includes having empathy for other people and setting a good example for others to follow. A person can
be a good citizen through various ways such as: volunteering, philanthropy, charity work, and others.

NGAI QIU YAN: Yes! I agree with you, Zhi Hong! Adults, especially parents should play their role in
supervising their children’s behaviour. This is because a child's life is like a piece of paper on which every
passer-by leaves a mark. Therefore, the attitude of parents will affect the future of a child. When their
parents don’t show good qualities in their daily activities, how can the child emulate this good value in
order to be a good citizen?

LAW YIENG LING: I agree with you, Qiu Yan. Parents are responsible for teaching their children to be
good citizens because being a good citizen makes it easy to make many friends. So, the parents must be
a good citizen by themselves because the children will always follow their parents’ steps.

NGAI QIU YAN: Therefore, I think that one of the qualities in being a good citizen is being tolerant. The
word tolerance means the willingness to accept or to tolerate, especially opinions or behaviour you may
not agree with, or to behave sensibly with those who are not like you. It means showing respect for the
race, gender, opinions, religion and ideologies of other people or groups, and to admire the good qualities
and good work of others.

LAW YIENG LING: Okay, I agree with your point that tolerance is the quality of being a good citizen, but
how to be tolerant?

NGAI QIU YAN: First, to speak of tolerance, there must be an aspect of dislike, disagreement, or
disapproval. Tolerance is only required in case of dislike, disagreement, disapproval, and thus is closely
connected to differences between people. Our country, Malaysia, is a unique country and the only one
multiracial country in the world. Our country consists of different races such as Malays, Chinese, Indian,
Iban, Kadazan and so on. Every race has their own cultures and traditions which are totally different from
each other. Tolerance is one of the dominant qualities to ensure the peacefulness and harmony of our
country. This is because as a good citizen, we have to learn to be tolerant to the people around us. One
must learn to know how to respect each other. Even if we have different living habits, cultures, and
environments, we should love, understand, and respect everyone.

LAW YIENG LING: Oh, I see! I have many friends from different races such as Malay, Iban, Kadazan and
Nyonya. They seem totally different, but they all can speak Malay properly. This shows that citizens are
tolerant and use Malay as a main language. Therefore, Malaysians can live together peacefully even
though the language is not the same.

ONG ZHI HONG: I super agree. Well, I am a person who likes to participate in camps. With camp, I meet
people of all races, and I make friends with them. Through the camp, I learned that each race has its own
unique culture, and we will tolerate and respect each other. Besides, my dad also likes to make friends
with other races. My dad has a best friend named Abu Bakar. And he is also very nice. Every year, he will
invite us to his house to eat and drink. And we also love his curry chicken.
NGAI QIU YAN: Yes! This is very good because you try to make friends no matter the race and nation.
This will result in a peaceful and tolerant society. When all the members of the society practice tolerance,
dispute and conflict can be avoided and overcome easily. Obviously, tolerance is very critical in
maintaining the neutrality of the society and is one of the important qualities for one to be a good citizen.

LAW YIENG LING: Wow! I fully agree with you, Qiu Yan. For me, tolerance is an important concept that
helps people to live together peacefully. To be tolerant means that you accept other people’s opinions
and preferences, even when they live in a way that you don’t agree with. Malaysia is a multiracial and
multicultural nation in which Malays, Indians, Chinese and people of various other ethnicities live together
in peace and harmony. For example, I have a good friend, Fatimah who is a Muslim. We always hang out
together and sometimes we will go to a Malay restaurant to have our meal. Some of the Malay
restaurants don’t provide the tableware, so I just follow her by hand to eat the food. Even though this was
my first time using my hand to eat, I did not feel any unhappiness because I picked this chance to
understand Fatimah more and our relationship became closer.

ONG ZHI HONG: Yeah, I have the same experience as you, Yieng Ling! I have a friend, Desmond who is
Muslim. At the beginning, I did not understand why Desmond had to stop what he's doing 5 times a day
and pray. Sometimes it's challenging because we will be out together, and I will have to accommodate
Desmond's prayer schedule. However, I enjoy being friends with Desmond and understand that prayer is
a part of who Desmond is.

NGAI QIU YAN: That is a very good thing! Since our country has different religions, we must try to
understand and show our respect to each other. From your experiences, it has shown that citizens can be
connected and united no matter race and culture as long as we nurture this good value among the
society.

LAW YIENG LING: That’s so true! However, accept all kinds of behaviours, is this what tolerance means?
Of course not. Behaviours that disrespect others, like being mean or bullying, or behaviours like lying or
stealing, should not be tolerated. Tolerance means to treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Therefore, I think that we need to know tolerance, we need to have limitations.

ONG ZHI HONG: In my opinion tolerance isn’t easy. Because we rely so heavily on our own experiences
and worldview, it can be hard to see things from another person’s perspective or accept that someone
else’s viewpoint may be equally valid with ours. But tolerance is a skill that can bring greater peace and
harmony to our lives and the lives of others.

LAW YIENG LING: Yes, I agree with you, but do you have some tips for building tolerance for others?

ONG ZHI HONG: Of course. The first is we must develop curiosity. This is because in many cases, when
we lack tolerance towards others it’s simply because we don’t understand them. By cultivating an open
mind, learning about other cultures and people, and our horizons, we increase our ability to understand
and accept others.

NGAI QIU YAN: Yes! Besides, I think we must change our perspective. This is because sometimes hurt
feelings or a lack of tolerance come about because we can’t see where the other person is coming from.
You may not be able to fully understand another person’s experiences, but you can shift your perspective
from yourself to them and how you can relate.

LAW YIENG LING: Yeah, it is right, I also have a tip, that is we can also practise respect. When you don’t
agree with another person’s opinion, focus on respecting their right to think for themselves and to believe
what they choose. Just as we would never want that right taken away from us, we have a responsibility to
extend that same courtesy to other people and treat others with respect, even when we disagree with
them. But beside tolerance, I think patriotism is also the quality of being a good citizen.
NGAI QIU YAN: Yes! I see your point. Patriotism is the love and respect for one’s country and patriotic
spirit is an admirable quality. The act of patriotism and feeling patriotic are the things that make for a
stronger nation. This is because it not only can connect and relate the citizens together, it will contribute
to the progress of our country to become a developed country. As a member of the country, we must be a
patriotic person for the stability of our country’s sovereignty. We don’t have to be an army or hero to be
patriotic. We, as a Malaysian, have to be proud and always protect the reputation of our country through
some simple things like protecting our environment, supporting local products, waving the flag and so on.

LAW YIENG LING: I agree with you, Qiu Yan! People today like to buy products from other country’ such
as Japan, China, and America. Why will this incident happen? This is because they think that other
country’s products are better than local products. Actually, the quality of local products is good because
our country has prospered. Therefore, as a Malaysian, we should support local products such as Proton
Saga to show our patriotism.

ONG ZHI HONG: Beside that, we also can show our love to our country by protecting our mother land.
Recently, our environment has been polluted. So, we need to take action to preserve and conserve our
environment. This can maintain the scenario of land and attract the tourists to travel to our country. By
this way, Malaysia’s economy can increase and develop. The next as parents, we should teach our
children how to be patriotic from an early age. Young people today are not very patriotic because their
parents did not set a good example for their children to learn from and teach them. This leads to another
problem, which is that some people now have no patriotism. As parents, you should take your children to
places with a long history such as A'Famosa, which can increase children's interest in patriotism and let
them know more about the history of the country.

NGAI QIU YAN: Yeah! That’s what I want to express! Besides, patriotism will eliminate one being selfish
or egotistical. On the other hand, it will create a friendly and helpful society in our country. This
atmosphere will attract the attention of the tourists to our country and cause the reputation of our country
to increase to a higher level. How about your opinion about patriotism, Zhi Hong?

ONG ZHI HONG: I think patriotism is something we can all understand even if we experience it differently.
The first and foremost quality asked of a good citizen is patriotism. He should have a genuine love for his
country and should have a sense of involvement in its day-to-day affairs, in its economic policies and its
international relationships. All this cannot be achieved overnight. It is the product of a good training, and a
good heritage and various other factors contribute towards patriotic feelings. The first among these is the
right kind of upbringing. If a child hears only stories of betrayal and listens to a discussion of the various
methods of making easy money, he is unlikely to imbibe any good qualities. The hand that rocks the
cradle shapes the world. Honesty, integrity, and self-respect are the qualities that can only be nurtured at
home. These form the foundation of good citizenship.

LAW YIENG LING: Since that both of you have many ideas about patriotism! For me, patriotism refers to
the passionate loved one has for their country. Malaysia achieved independence on 31 August 1957. This
independence was not achieved easily because we have wasted a lot of energy and life. Therefore, as a
Malaysian, we all engage in acts of patriotism and love our country, Malaysia. Why is patriotism very
important? Patriotic will provide us with a sense of identity. When we have a sense of identity, we will
work together towards Malaysia's growth and development. As we come together, our education system,
health infrastructure, and economic development can be improved. For example, in school, students who
have a patriotic spirit will consider themselves as Malaysian citizens and do not differentiate races from
each other. So, the students can be good friends and work together regardless of race.

NGAI QIU YAN: The patriotic spirit also shows in the sport. In the Swiss Open Championship 2022, our
men badminton double, Nur Izzuddin and Goh Sze Fei work together and cooperate with each other for
their common goal, win in the competition. Finally, they became the first runner up in this competition. In
order to get this achievement, they must have good cooperation regardless of races and religions. They
work hard for the reputation of Malaysia and the citizens will support them by watching the live
competition. We also will cheer in the chorus for the winning of our players. This phenomenon
emphasised that patriotism could connect all the citizens together to achieve their same goal. At the same
time, our citizens will not differentiate each other by races.
LAW YIENG LING: That is a very good example! This shows that when people share common beliefs,
people will unite and work together toward the same goal. Patriotism is our common belief, and national
development is our goal, so we will cooperate and move forward regardless of race and nations. How
about you, Zhi Hong?

ONG ZHI HONG: On the other hand, a home and a family are a miniature group. If a person gets his
values and priorities correct while living in it, he will make a good citizen. A good citizen must put the
interest of his country before his own personal interest, and he should not enter any contract which may
prove harmful to the interest of his country, and he must do his share of the work and share due
responsibilities. These are the qualities which add up to strength and character. A good citizen puts his
country before himself. There are many jobs which if correctly performed add to the national progress.
Industries, when expanded properly, become a part of national wealth. They provide opportunities for
employment and development. A farmer, a teacher, a soldier each one is important in his own role. He
who loves his country puts his heart in his job and does it to the best of his ability. A good citizen stays
away from anti-social activities like smuggling and corruption.

NGAI QIU YAN: Exactly, as a member of the country, everyone shows their love by putting effort in the
development of our country. Even the farmer, although it seems like a simple and straightforward job, do
you know that they are the domain character in promoting economic development? They do the tiring and
hard work to earn a salary which is only able to sustain their everyday life. But without their effort, our
citizens will not have the chance to buy the food with an equitable price and may face food shortage. All
the hard work and diligence they have done is the way they show their love to the country.

LAW YIENG LING: Beside farmers, soldiers also are the main characters who have a deep patriotic spirit.
The Malaysian Armed Forces is the nation's defence bastion responsible for ensuring that Malaysia is
protected from all threats external whether from land, sea and air. They also will help parties' public
authority in dealing with the internal threats of the country. They work hard day and night to keep the
country safe, so I want to take this chance to say "thank you" to the soldiers. Therefore, I think that a good
citizen should learn patriotism from the soldiers.

ONG ZHI HONG: I also thank those who contribute their time and energy to build a peaceful and
prosperous country. Besides these two qualities, do you guys think law abiding is the important factor to
being a good citizen? Ours is a democratic state. No country can ever function successfully if its citizens
are not aware of their law abiding and responsibilities. Rights and duties always go together. They always
exercise them intelligently.

LAW YIENG LING: Yeah! I strongly agree that law-abiding is the quality of being a good citizen. Law-
abiding is obeying the law and not doing anything that the law does not allow. Law can control the
behaviour of people so that people do not do bad things such as stealing, drugging and more. If people
break the law, they will be punished like caning. However, I think that this is good for people because they
will not repeat the mistake or action again. They will remember that the action is wrong and harmful to
him/her. For example, MACC statistics show a total of 47 investigation papers were opened in 2018 which
then dropped to 11 cases in 2019, nine cases in 2020 and until August in 2020 only six cases were
investigated. This phenomenon shows that law is very important to maintain community stability and curb
criminal cases. If everyone obeyed the law, this makes for a peaceful society and people will live in a
peaceful country.

ONG ZHI HONG：To be a good citizen, one must obey the law. There are many reasons why a person
should obey the law. One reason is that if someone breaks the law, they will have to pay for their actions.
If a person does not obey the law, he will cause inconvenience to others. A good citizen is law-abiding
and obeys the laws of the country sincerely. They never take law in his or her hands. Rather people of
kind extend their full cooperation to the government in maintaining law and order in the country. They are
ever ready to put down crime and help the police in arresting criminals. Above all, a good citizen has the
welfare of his country and his fellow citizens at heart. They do their best to further their interests. Such
people render voluntary service to the city or the country in various capacities.
NGAI QIU YAN: I think both of you are right! Law-abiding citizen is a person who obeys and respects the
law that is enforced by the government. Nowadays, the safety of a country is determined by the law
enforcement of their country. It has become a standard of conduct for citizens. The law is very important
because it acts as a guideline as to what is accepted in society. There will be conflict and fight between
communities without it. A law-abiding citizen can create a peace and harmony atmosphere in our country
because law will constrain one ‘s behaviour through punishment and penalty. Moreover, when the citizens
obey the rules, the crime rate in our country will decrease and the safety of the citizens will be
guaranteed. When the country is safe and peaceful, more foreign investors will choose to invest in our
country and our economy will rise rapidly.

ONG ZHI HONG: Since we have discussed three qualities to be a good citizen, among these three
qualities, which of these three qualities do you think is the most important to become a good citizen?

LAW YIENG LING: I think that law-abiding is the most important quality of being a good citizen. I had said
that law can make a peaceful society just now. The laws of our nation generally arise out of our shared
values and morals. In our nation we have laws at both the national and state levels. As citizens, we tend
to be most familiar with state and local laws, since these are the laws, we encounter most in our daily
lives. These laws protect us against crimes like murder and robbery. I think everyone wants to live in a
peaceful country without any danger.

ONG ZHI HONG: I disagree with Yieng Ling, I think law-abiding is not the most important quality of being
a good citizen. This is because obeying the law is something everyone has to do, not an important quality
to be a good citizen. If abiding by the law is a good citizen, then most people are good citizens. The topic
we are discussing today is which quality is the most important and is ignored by most people. And I
believe many people do not know the laws of our country, so it is even more difficult to implement.

LAW YIENG LING: I disagree with you, Zhi Hong. Have you ever thought about why our country is at
peace now? This is because Malaysia has the constitution of Malaysia which is the supreme law of
Malaysia, and it contains a total of 183 Articles. The constitution can protect our general safety and
ensure our rights as citizens against abuses by other people, by organisations, and by the government
itself. This is because everyone is equal before the law. So, law can protect everyone without considering
gender, race, religion, and wealth. Therefore, law-abiding is the most important quality of being a good
citizen. If not, I think the country will become very dangerous and the war will begin.

NGAI QIU YAN: I disagree with you, Yieng Ling. I don’t think that being law-abiding is the most important
quality of a good citizen. This is because law enforcement will constrain the society’s behaviour and may
backfire. For example, recently, an Iranian woman was beaten to death by the police for not wearing her
hijab properly. This is because according to the law in Iran, women must wear headscarves in public
places and religious police enforce relevant clothing and grooming regulations. Iran also bans leggings,
ripped jeans, bare knees and brightly coloured clothing. This incident has caused the public to be angry
and at least 8 died in the demonstrations for several days, intensifying the tension between the
establishment and the Kurds. In front of the Iranian Consulate General in Istanbul, in addition to the
constant calls for ‘women’, ‘life’ and ‘freedom`, there were also protesters who shouted their
dissatisfaction with the Iranian government. From here, it has shown that law isn’t the only right and
protective shield for the citizens.

ONG ZHI HONG: Although you say the law is fair and open. But in real life, if there is a case to be
litigated, the poor simply don't have enough money to pay for lawyers, on the contrary the rich have
enough money to pay for it. This way, even if the poor are right, but they have no money to pay for
lawyers, the poor end up being the wrong one. And this kind of unfair and realistic thing happens
frequently in Korea. Some chaebols do wrong just because they have money, they are not punished by
law.

LAW YIENG LING: Oh, I see. After listening to your two explanations, I notice that law-abiding is not the
most important quality of being a good citizen, because the law will create many conflicts and constraints
human’s freedom.
NGAI QIU YAN: Hence, in my opinion, the most important quality to being a good citizen is tolerance.
This is because with the characteristic of tolerance among the society, a peaceful and harmonious
atmosphere can be created. Conflicts can be avoided and relationships between every citizen can be
closed. Therefore, tolerance is the most critical quality that must be equipped by a person to be a good
citizen.

LAW YIENG LING: I disagree with you, Qiu Yan. This is because not everyone knows that tolerance has
limitations. As I said before, tolerance does not accept all kinds of behaviours. However, not all people
know where the limit is. So, this situation will have a negative effect on tolerance. Sometimes, tolerance
gives an excuse to those who magnify mistakes and tolerance will become the reason. There are also
some people who are overly tolerant and lead to their own losses. These incidents show that tolerance is
not suitable to be the most important quality to be a good citizen because not everyone knows tolerance
deeply.

NGAI QIU YAN: I see your point. Excessive tolerance will cause those bad citizens to cross the line and
become reckless. This will become a big issue when relating to sensitive issues such as politics, religions,
races and so on. Besides, excessive tolerance will cause the people to be too ready to compromise other
people and cannot express his or her opinion. There will no progress and reform happen in our country.
How can we compete with other countries in the world?

ONG ZHI HONG: Yes, I also feel that tolerance is not the most important point. Yes, I agree with you, Qiu
Yan. Therefore, I think the most important quality of being a good citizen is patriotism. When the people of
a country are patriotic, then they will be united, and this can make the country prosperous, make the
country peaceful, and keep the country free from encroachment by other countries. To be a good citizen, I
think patriotism is the most important and we can also express our patriotism with actions, such as
supporting domestic products, singing the national anthem, and many more. Qiu Yan, do you think
patriotism is important?

NGAI QIU YAN: I also have that same idea with you. Patriotism pushes citizens of a country to work for
their country selflessly and make it better. The life quality of the citizens will be enhanced through this
way. Besides, a truly developed country is made up of true patriots. Peace and harmony will be
maintained through patriotism. When the citizens have the spirit of brotherhood, they will support one
another. Hence, it will make the country more harmonious. Moreover, patriots will always obey the law
and help in protecting the safety of our country. As a citizen who is patriotic, they understand the
importance of tolerance among the society in order for the society to be united without discrimination and
prejudice. Therefore, good citizens will respect the people around them and tolerate each other to avoid
conflict. For example, as we know that the 13 May incident will happen because of the ethnic conflict
between Malays and Chinese. The two races confronted each other in the streets, which eventually
turned into a bloody riot. This incident has brought many bad effects to our country such as death, misery,
suffering and so on. Now this incident has become a lesson for us to ensure that pass errors were not
repeated and showed the importance of patriotism to our country.

LAW YIENG LING: I agree with the point that the most important of being a good citizen is patriotism.
When people engage in acts of patriotism, they will be tolerant. This is because everyone will try to
understand and accept the difference between each other. For example, even though Malaysia is
multiracial country, Malaysians still can live and work together because Malaysians have a strong
patriotism. A long time ago, people thought that different races and language barriers were our
weaknesses. However, as Malaysians, we love Malaysia, so we try to solve the problem and accept that
Malay language has become the main language to speak.

NGAI QIU YAN: Yes! I totally agree with you, Yieng Ling! People today, especially the youth, face the
problem of using Malay language to communicate with other people. They prefer to use English to chat
with their siblings and friends. This is because English is the international language in the world, but the
Malay language is also important as our national language! This condition also happens to my niece! She
doesn't know how to communicate with other people using the Malay language even though she has lived
in Malaysia for 13 years! She doesn't even pronounce the Malay word! How can a Malaysian don’t know
how to speak Malay language! Actually, as a Malaysian, we must learn to speak Malay because Malay is
the national language in Malaysia by Article 152 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The citizens do not know
Malay language well enough to appreciate it. This has become a serious problem in our country because
our national language will be forgotten soon if we don't take any action to overcome this problem.
ONG ZHI HONG：Using the national language to communicate in Malaysia is also a manifest station of
patriotism. Malay refers to the language that has been gazetted as the official spoken language of the
country since independence. Practice using this language at the office, at school, and when interacting
with friends. In fact, this language, when practised, can bring all kinds of positive effects to the life of
Malaysia's diverse society. The benefit of Malaysians using this national language is that it has become a
symbol of pride for the people of the country. Extensive use of this language when talking or
communicating with each other can prove to be a symbol of complete national identity. Over time, a
sense of pride seeps into the soul, seeing the widespread use of the language among the locals.
Furthermore, using this language can be a tool of unity among Malaysian communities. People can unite
in a sense of tolerance, consensus and mutual respect that arise through the use of this national
language. In short, the national language can easily strengthen the relationship between races in
Malaysia. It is a pity that nowadays more and more people pay attention to English, which leads to an
imbalance. Here are a few ways to help us improve our Malay.

NGAI QIU YAN: I know! The first way that can help us to improve our Malay is more contact with Malay.
The media is your friend, you can see how the Malay is used by the locals, it will really help if you can
tune in to a Malay radio station or watch a Malay language programme once in a while. You may not
understand everything that’s being said, but you can try in the beginning to pick up keywords that you’ve
already learn.

LAW YIENG LING: Wow! It sounds interesting. I also have another way, that is finding a language
partner. It will be great if you can find someone else who’s also learning Malay, so you can practise
speaking. If you’re not too shy, you can partner up with a native speaker who will be able to guide you
and give you the relevant advice you need to improve.

ONG ZHI HONG: Yes, and the third way is to set specific goals. Whether you’re learning Malay by
yourself or with a tutor, you have to be specific in what you wish to learn. Setting objectives is even more
essential if you’re self-learning as there aren’t any external factors to push you on and this is of course
true for all new skills, not just languages. Maybe start with one word a day and keep a log of every new
achievement.

LAW YIENG LING: Since Malay is the main language of Malaysia, we must encourage everyone to love
the Malay language and learn it. This is because speaking Malay also is one of the ways to show our
patriotism. Besides, because of patriotism, Malaysia can achieve independence. According to the order of
the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, the spirit of unity needs to be fostered
in every Malaysian from school, along with strengthening the spirit of identity, in addition to giving priority
to the subject of History and making the education system an essential medium to maintain unity races.
As Malaysians, we must know our identity and love Malaysia. Therefore, patriotism is very important for a
citizen because a patriotic citizen will always improve himself and be involved in the development of the
country.

ONG ZHI HONG: So, you all feel that patriotism is the most important quality to be a good citizen?

NGAI QIU YAN: Yes! As I said before, patriotism is the most important quality to be a good citizen
because when the citizens practise patriotism, they will learn to be tolerant and law-abiding in order to
show their love to the country.

LAW YIENG LING: Oh yes! Patriotism is the most important quality to be a good citizen. Tunku Abdul
Rahman said” We are all Malaysians. This is the bond that unites us. Let us always remember that unity
is our fundamental strength as a people and as a nation.” Therefore, we must be patriotic and love our
country.

ONG ZHI HONG: Great, then let us be a good citizen.

END