KUCHING, Sept. 16 -- In his Malaysia Day address to the nation tonight, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad stressed that Malaysians must be conscious of their responsibility to protect national unity and inter-ethnic harmony, and not leave it to federal and state governments.

The prime minister noted that his administration remembers and values the uneven and difficult routes taken by those in the past to achieve Independence for the Federated Malay States, followed by the efforts to form Malaysia together with Sabah and Sarawak.

"If we remember what they had gone through, we will not take unity and cooperation among the various races lightly, and that we should even be prepared to rise up to defend our unity if there are elements attempting to di...