Stay united to have a stronger voice, local Chinese community reminded
KUCHING: Members of the local Chinese community must uphold unity, which is the backbone of progress and development.
Unity would enable the community to have a stronger voice but in order to have this, they must brush aside the differences between them that could disrupt their unity, said Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is also Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president.
“Unity allows the community to move forward. Without it, our community would not be able to progress and as such, we would be left behind in this developing and progressing nation,” he said at the Hing Ann Association Kuching Chinese New Year dinner held at Bintawa Hing Ann Tian Hou Gong Temple on Monday, where Consulate- General of People’s Republic of China in Kuching Fu Jijun, the association’s honorary president and advisor Datuk Sri Tay Thian Song, president Michael Teo, vice president Lau Thin Kim, executive advisor Tay Swee Kim and secretary Chen Chieng Ning, who was the event organising chairman, were among those present.
Adding on, Dr Sim called on fellow Chinese to remain united in mainstream politics.
At the dinner, Dr Sim, Fu and Teo launched the association’s website, www.haakch.com.
The website allows not only members but also the public to view the association’s past, current and upcoming activities, its history, and also to download member’s registration form.
It also enables members to view their membership data.
The dinner, apart from celebrating the Chinese ‘ Year of the Rooster’, also served as an opportunity for members to demonstrate filial piety for family members aged 70 and above, who received ‘angpow’ that night.
The guests were also treated to a lion dance, singing performance, dancing, lucky draw and karaoke session.
Established in 1946, Hing Ann Association Kuching currently has around 2,000 members.