A time to count our blessings
Abang Johari says Christmas is a time to enhance religious harmony, racial ties among Sarawakians
KUCHING: The Christmas festive season can be a platform to strengthen the ties among the diverse communities of Sarawak of various races and religions.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said Christmas is a good time for the people of Sarawak to continue the tradition of visiting the houses of relatives and friends.
“The Christmas festive season is the best time for us to strengthen our relationship and at the same time chart the path ahead together.
“This is because the prospect of Sarawak is brighter if the people live in harmony and peacefully as this is the main ingredient contributing to the development of the country.”
He said so during the Christmas open house hosted by the Roman Catholic Archbishop at the grand hall of the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) at Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg here on Tuesday.
Besides, he said Sarawakians are very fortunate to be able to live in harmony since long time ago even though they are of different races and religions.
“We are fortunate as Sarawak has an excellent living environment and all festivals are celebrated together irrespective of our different racial and religious background.
We are fortunate as Sarawak has an excellent living environment and all festivals are celebrated together irrespective of our different racial and religious background.
“As such, I hope that the strong interfaith understanding will be continued for the sake of the future of our country and state.”
On another note, he praised the role played by the Roman Catholic community in contributing to the development of the education and welfare of the community in the state.
“It is hoped that such fundamentals will be preserved in order to assist the state in achieving developed status by 2030.”
Among those in attendance were Abang Johari’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang; Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah; Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Archdiocese Most Reverend Simon Poh.
Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Chief Minister