Close to 3,000 join Riot for early Christmas do at Kpg Pichin
SERIAN: Close to 3,000 people gathered at the Awah Gawai Tun Abdul Razak in Kampung Pichin to have an early Christmas celebration with Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot on Sunday night.
The event was sponsored by the Human Resources Development Fund ( HRDF) – an agency under Riot’s ministry – and featured Malaysian Idol 2004 winner Jacklyn Victor as its star act, alongside other local artistes.
Riot, who attended the event with his wife Datin Seri Betty Mincha, also gave away Christmas gifts to the children there.
In his speech, the six- term Serian MP expressed his wish for all Christians to remain strong in their faith, and also gave his thanks to God that Malaysia continues to remain a country that allows its people to practise their own beliefs.
He said living in a multi-racial and multi- religious country like Malaysia, Christians must remain strong in their faith and, at the same time, be ever sensitive to the political environment.
“The fact that we can celebrate Christmas the way we do tonight shows that the political environment remains conducive to the freedom to believe. We must thank the Lord for opening the hearts of those holding political power; we must also thank them for ( having) the political will to allow us do what we need to do as Christians,” he said.
Members of HRDF board of directors Datuk Dr Gregory Hii and Rayan Narong, HRDF Sarawak- Sabah regional manager Tina Jerome, Social Security Organisation ( Socso) deputy chief executive officer John Riba Marin, state Labour Department director Jack Meredu, state Socso director Phillip Sangkan, state Employment Security director Mot Sagai, Industrial Court chairman Annie Solep and Socso Serian branch manager Terence Tikok were also present.
Adding on, Riot pledged that there would be grander Christmas celebrations in Serian next year, if he is still the minister.
He also said the he would be involved in the national- level Christmas Open House 2017, to be hosted by Malacca this Dec 27.
On another matter, Riot told the Kampung Pichin security and development committee (JKKK) that he would set aside funds for upgrading works on the ground floor of the Awah.
He also assured villagers that their needs would also be looked into.
The federal minister and state minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin are both from Kampung Pichin.