position paper 5

COUNSELORS ARE THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE 1 MALAYSIA CONCEPTS

by: Norfakhrini binti Abdul Razab

0728856

The 1Malaysia concept, introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was based on the principle of "People First, Performance Now". The government would be prudent in stepping up efforts to balance economic development with social needs to bring about peace and prosperity to the people and that no race or group, including women, the youth, the elderly and the handicapped, was neglected. All parties must take action and responsible to help 1Malaysia concept be successful particularly counselors.

Counselors are born to unite our nation. Counselor must seek out educational, consultative and training experiences to improve the understanding and effectiveness in working with culturally different populations. The major challenge of counseling is to understand the complex role that cultural diversity plays in their work. Cultural sensitivity is not limited to one group but applies to all cultures including Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans and etc. Counselor can no longer afford to ignore the issues involved in counseling culturally diverse populations. The ACA’s nondiscrimation standard that, counselors do not condone or engage in discriminations based on age, color, culture, disability, ethnic, group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, mental status and economic status. Therefore, all these showed that counselors have been trained to adapt with other cultural value and not miss up their own value. When counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, counselors know how these apply in a diverse society and avoid imposing their values on client. For example, we as Malay counselors have been trained and maintain awareness and sensitivity regarding cultural meanings of confidentiality and privacy towards other culture like China, Indians, Melanau and etc, therefore trustworthy and respect each other exist between students and counselor. Students will realize that other people who are different cultures with them also understand them in terms of sensitivity and values of their culture. Malay know Indians do not eat meat and respect them by do not condemn them with that, and then Chinese respect Malay who do not eat pork and etc.

Counselors just not do the counseling session with the client but counselors also responsible to organize the programs like motivation programs for examination, worldly or even for here after (akhirat) and the important thing now is to unite the nations in our country, 1 Malaysia. 1 Malaysia cannot success without guidance and cooperation from professional like counselors. It is because; counselors are the closes guidance with students at school. They know how to implement “the idea” into the students root mind. By doing it from the root, the possibility to achieve success on 1 Malaysia concept will occur. As we know, everything is beginning at school in shaping the good nation in Malaysia. Malay people claim “ Melentur buluh bermula dari rebungnya”, means that we should do everything by giving the pictures and implement it start from the root. Counselor is responsible to make it at the school for the students in diversity of cultures to make them understand; know the value of each other. Besides that, counselor also can make a program like “Culture Day”, “Traditional Foods and Costumes”, make a visit to difference races school like students from Chinese National Type School go visit the Indians National Types School and have a great celebration in order to introduce both of the culture values and sensitivity to each other. without a counselor, the program like these maybe not run well because counselor has skills and have been trained to make the proposal of the counseling comprehensive program in guidance and counseling program planning and evaluation.

In conclusion, counselors are the key to the success of the 1Malaysia concepts. The younger generation must equip itself with knowledge and skills to inherit the invaluable asset of a nation of pride and respect that had been shaped by the government. Therefore counselor is a key or the only one can guide the younger generations to implement all of this concepts. As a counselor, I hoped Malaysians would continue to maintain unity and share their blessings and responsibilities as this was something unique and a source of strength.