Putatan Chinese school has mostly Bumiputera pupils
PUTATAN: Schools play an important role in creating awareness on the aspirations of the government since students make up 40 percent of the country’s population.
Speaking at the Chinese New Year Carnival 2018 at SJK(C ) Hwa Shiong yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister cum Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin said students were the leaders of the future.
He said the student population of SJK(C) Hwa Shiong was a good example of a “Mini Malaysia” since they came from different racial and religious groups.
The main student population at the Chinese school based in Putatan were the Bumiputeras, he said.
“This is the uniqueness of our country, Malaysia, whereby all the multi-ethnic and multireligious communities live alongside each other in peace and harmony. We can celebrate all festivities, including the Chinese New Year. We need to appreciate this,” he said.
He added that the Chinese New Year was celebrated throughout the world by the Chinese.
“Many of us accept the celebration as a tradition without pondering its deeper meaning. It is important that we understand the meaning of the festival since without deep understanding, they will remain merely as rituals,” he said.
He explained that the Chinese New Year was celebrated to usher in the spring season and a bountiful harvest.
“During the celebration, families will congregate together. Children will go home to their village and to their parents’ home to give their respect to their older generation,” he said.
Also present were Minister at the Chief Minister’s department, Datuk Edward Yong and Putatan Parliament Member, Datuk Dr Marcus Makin Mojigoh.