Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today assured the people that the government remains committed to the 1Malaysia philosophy and will ensure that every citizen has a place under the Malaysian sun.

He said national unity was imperative for the nation to achieve peace, prosperity and stability, which he added had contributed to the remarkable progress the nation had achieved over the past few decades and more to come.

"As a nation, we need to come together and reconcile our differences for the sake of the future of Malaysia. We must continue to celebrate our diversity and defend our way of life.

"The silent majority of moderate Malaysians must stand up to speak for the voice of the moderates to be loudly heard," he said in a special message conveyed to the National Unity Forum participants here.

The one-day forum, carrying the theme 'Strengthening the Voice of the Moderates, Moving Forward Together', was organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli).

Najib also said that to ensure national unity was sustainable, Malaysians needed to uphold the Federal Constitution and hold steadfastly to the Rukun Negara.

"In celebrating our Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day, let us come together as one nation, 1Malaysia," he said.

He also lauded Asli for organising the forum, which he described as timely as Malaysia just marked its 57th anniversary of Merdeka.